Fifty Shades of New York
by bebebillotchi
Summary: What if Fifty Shades of Grey happened to be set in New York? How would Ana and Christian meet? And what sort of world would he lure her into? Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. Story Copyright bebebillotchi 2013 HEA; NO CHEATING
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter One**_  
The twinkling lights of Manhattan sparkled like diamonds, glittering the awe-struck gaze of Anastasia Steele as the cab headed along FDR Drive and into the city from Kennedy Airport. A slow, tired smile curved on her lips. She was so exhausted, traveling nearly all day with an almost six hour flight from Portland, but she wanted to bask in the city's splendor as it unraveled before her, soak up the splendor before she arrived at her college best friend's apartment.

She pressed her cheek against the cold window of the cab and looked upward at the almost frighteningly tall buildings towering above, wondering who might live or work inside, and allowed herself to daydream for just a minute. Maybe one of those seemingly grand apartments would be hers one day, she thought, then giggled to herself.

At twenty-one, the world was hers for the taking, but she'd set her standards so very low to avoid her own disappointments. She'd taken a great risk in just deciding to move across the country - away from her dad and from the familiarity of the little life she'd built for herself while in college. Now, the thought of starting all over again brought with it a rush of fear.

Ana wasn't certain how long she'd stay in New York, but given her dream of working in the publishing industry, she knew she'd have regrets later in life if she never gave it a try. The city was the hub of the media industry, and job prospects seemed so promising. When her roommate since Freshman year at Washington State University, who was born and raised in Manhattan, suggested they share an apartment, the temptation was too sweet for Ana to resist. A month after graduation, Ana found herself quitting her job at the local hardware store, packing her bags and booking a one-way ticket to the East Coast.

Katherine Kavanagh was waiting in the lobby of her building as Ana's cab pulled up to the curb. In the darkness of night, her green eyes sparkled so brightly, and her blonde locks fell loosely around her shoulders. It was late, and even in her short pajama shorts and tank top, looked just as stunning as ever. Next to Kate, Ana always felt so very plain, with her long, chestnut brown hair and big blue eyes, but Kate just had this magnetism that was undeniable.

Kate was a native New Yorker in every sense of the word. She was sassy and savvy, and had the sharp looks, wit and fashion sense to survive the concrete jungle. By chance, they'd been assigned as roommates in the dormitories their first semester at school, but that bond of happenstance only grew as their four years of university life continued.

Her open arms folded Ana into a tight hug before she had the chance to climb out of the car, welcoming Ana to her new city, her new home...and possibly even her new life.

"I missed you so much, Steele!" Kate said and took a step back to look at her travel-weary friend. "Let's get you upstairs and unpacked."

Ana reached for Kate's hands and gave them a gentle squeeze. "You have no idea how much I appreciate your kindness, Kate," she said. "I wouldn't be here without you."

"C'mawn, Steele," she said, shrugging her shoulder toward the door as she hauled Ana's huge suitcase from the trunk of the cab. "Let me show you our new digs!"

The lobby was quite expansive, covered with Italian marble floors and elegantly appointed with crisp white overstuffed chairs for lounging. Behind the front desk, the doorman gave Kate a nod and a quick smile, which Kate was quick to reciprocate. She was such a flirt sometimes, Ana thought.

"Marcus, this is my friend Ana that I've told you about," Kate introduced.

"Need any help this evening, Miss Kavanagh?" he asked. He was a man of around thirty, with dark hair, deep brown eyes and a bit of a receding hairline. "I can have those bags sent up for you, if you'd like."

"We're good, thanks!"

Strolling over to the elevator, Ana couldn't help but look upward to see the giant crystal chandeliers sparkling overhead and the huge ceiling mural behind them that mimicked that of some fine Italian fresco she'd seen in a book for one of her art history classes. Kate had always made jokes about the tourists stopping in the middle of a crowded city block to gawk at the tall buildings, now Ana understood why, and felt a little awkward doing just that. She only hoped that she'd shake her awkward ways and find a way to fit into this colossal city.

"Close your eyes, Steele," Kate said and took Ana's hand as she led her into the apartment. Ana could hear the rustling sounds of Kate rustling her luggage through the door, but she waited until she was told before opening her eyes.

Kate's parents referred to the place as their daughter's "starter apartment" but already Ana felt as if she'd stepped into the lap of luxury. Kate's father was a wealthy investment banker, and her mother did little else but attend parties and shop. The living area was small, which Ana expected as Kate always told her that no one lived as large in this city as the cast of Friends, and tastefully appointed in muted tones of beige, taupe and cream. The furniture was brand-new, and likely expensive with Mrs. Kavanagh's notorious tastes, with a comfortable overstuffed couch and matching armchairs, a coffee table topped with marble just as fine as her feet had treaded in the lobby and a giant television that hung on the tiled wall that framed out the fireplace.

The lights of the city drew Ana in once again, and she couldn't resist the hypnotic draw of the floor to ceiling windows that offered the girls a perfect view of the Upper East Side. Gazing out, Ana stood for a moment, eyes gaping in wide-eyed wonderment, and held her breath.

"I know - it's not the greatest view in the world," Kate interrupted her thoughts. "But the 'rents flatly refused my requests for a place downtown or in Brooklyn. They're such worry warts, so I'm kinda stuck here for the moment."

"Kate," Ana gasped, "what are you talking about? This is beautiful..."

"Oh, Ana...there are so many better views in this town. And I can't wait to show them to you!" Kate giggled. "But first, let me show you to your room."

Tugging Ana's hand once again, Kate led her down a short hallway. "My room," she gestured toward the open bedroom door where clothes were strewn about all over the floor. "Bathroom, obviously," she said. "And your little spot of respite..."

Ana smiled as she looked around.

"Sorry for the lack of decor, Ana," Kate was quick to say. "We'll have to do some shopping, too. Maybe do some painting. But I wanted you to make it your own."

There was only a bed, its white wrought iron frame pushed against the far wall against the creamy colored walls. Already, Ana had plans. There was enough room for a dresser, a nightstand, possibly a small chair where she could curl up and read.

"It's perfect, Kate," she said, and hugged her best friend once more. "I love it!"

First, however, she had to find a job before spending any money. The airfare alone brought her bank account to a staggering low.

"So are you hungry?" Kate asked. "Should we order pizza? It's only after eight..."

"I'm good," Ana said, knowing full well she'd only eaten some light snacks on the plane that day. "Plus, I have a big day tomorrow. I think I should get some sleep."

"When are your interviews?"

"One is at nine and the other is at noon," Ana replied.

"Well, before you turn in, let's map out your routes on the subway, and I'll print them out for you," Kate suggested. "And if you get lost, just ask someone - we New Yorkers are much friendlier than our stereotype. Or text me."

Scrolling through her phone, she rattled off the two addresses for Kate who pecked away at her laptop. Kate was so lucky to have found a job she loved so quickly. She'd just started out as a cub reporter for one of the city's top blogs on the New York social scene - something which Kate already knew well. She covered everything from parties to entertainment, and Ana had no doubts that her best friend would go far. Kate was absolutely driven, tenacious in fact, and got anything and everything she wanted. Often, Ana wished she could find those qualities in herself, but she shook the thought from her mind as she began to unload her luggage.

First, Ana took care to unpack her brand-new suit, a navy blue short-waisted jacket and pencil skirt, which she'd spent too much of her graduation money on. But she was so proud to hang it up in the closet and couldn't wait to wear it the following day. As she continued to hang, fold and carefully put her clothes away, Kate chatted away, telling her what she had in store for Ana.

"So there's a charity event tomorrow night that I'm covering for work," Kate began, "and I'd love it if you went with me."

"Oh, Kate," Ana said, a flicker of disappointment rising, "I don't think I can go. I don't have anything to wear to some fancy affair."

"Stop it! You will go, and you will wear something from my closet," she insisted. "Lucky we're the same size, Steele."

"Let me see how tomorrow goes and if I'm even up for socializing," Ana said. "I may just want to hang out, take a walk - get to know the neighborhood a bit."

"We'll discuss that tomorrow," Kate said, as Ana crawled into her bed with her phone. "Want the light on?"

"Nah, I'm just going to call my mother to let her know I'm safe, then hit the old sack."

"Sleep tight, Ana, and good luck tomorrow."

"Sweet dreams, Kate."

"Back 'atcha, babe."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter Two**_  
The heady scent of perfume caught her nose as she stepped on the subway platform that morning, the mingling notes of florals, fruits and wood leaving her already nervous stomach unsettled. As she timidly stepped into the thick rush-hour crowd, Ana's insecurities surfaced once again in the sea of designer labels, fine fabrics, leather cases and handbags made by Chanel, Vuitton, Balenciaga and too many other couture brands that Ana just didn't recognize.

Confidence, she reminded herself, as the train pulled into the station. So far, she'd made good with Kate's detailed directions and colorful map printouts, and managed to find the subway station all on her own as she walked from the apartment that morning. Before she pushed her way toward the car, she looked up once to make sure that she was indeed boarding the downtown train, and followed behind everyone else. In the back of her mind, she could hear Ray, her step-father, doling out his advice on how to handle the mean city streets and telling her to just pretend she knew where she was going.

Kate didn't have to be at work until ten that Friday morning, but she got up early to help Ana primp for her big day. Strand-by-strand, she'd straightened Ana's long, brown hair, blushed and bronzed her pale face and painted her lips with a nude colored gloss. Catching her reflection in the dirty window, Ana forced a smile at herself. She did look her absolute best under the careful hands of Katherine Kavanagh. Her dull brown locks were sleek and shiny as she bounced her head from side to side, and she stood tall in the heels on loan from her best friend.

When she'd arrived at her stop on East Fifty-Ninth Street, Ana took in a deep breath before she attempted to climb the stairs to the street. Biting into her bottom lip, she hoped she wouldn't trip en route to her first interview.

The office building was just beyond huge - with hoards of people filing inside and swiping their security passes in the massive lobby. Ana headed straight for the security desk, where she was told to present her ID and sign in, then took her pass and headed for the thirty-ninth floor.

The office was just as big and grand as everything else she'd been experiencing so far in New York, with a large reception area that almost resembled a comfortable living room. The receptionist offered her water, which she politely refused, then directed her to wait on the large black sectional couch, dotted with bright red throw pillows.

Sitting carefully, she reached into her bag and grabbed her phone to silence it, then double-checked to make sure she'd brought a few extra copies of her resume.

A young woman, probably not much older than Ana's own twenty-one years, made her way through the lobby and extended her hand. With her short brown hair, tiny stature and bright white smile, Ana was certain that's what a Pixie was meant to look like, but she stood up and reached for the girl's hand.

"Anastasia Steele?"

"Yes," she stammered. "I'm Anastasia."

"I'm Jillian - Elena's assistant," she explained. "I'll take you back to her office for your interview."

"Nice to meet you, Jillian, and thank you."

Don't fall, Steele, she thought to herself, as she hurried on her wobbly legs behind Jillian. She hoped this office wasn't far away because she already felt a blister building beneath the fine leather of Kate's stiletto heels.

At last, they stopped when Jillian poked her head into an open door and said, "Anastasia is here for her interview..."

For a brief moment, Ana thought she felt all the blood drain from her veins, but she bit her lip, and followed as Jillian welcomed her through the door.

Elena Lincoln's back faced the door, when Ana stepped in for their meeting, but she quickly spun around in her chair then stood and reached for Ana's hand.

Just her mere presence left Ana feeling slightly un-settled and completely off her game. Elena was a tall woman, towering several inches above Ana - even in heels - and her perfect platinum blonde locks were cropped into a neat bob around her shoulders. From head to toe, she was dressed in black - black jacket, black blouse, black pants...even black pearls around her neck. But Ana forced a smile and refused to give in to her own imagined intimidation.

"Lovely to meet you, Anastasia, and thank you for coming in this morning," she said. Her hand was just as chilly as her smile.

"Thank you for inviting me in," Ana countered, then sat down opposite Elena at the desk.

"So you're from Washington?" the older woman - who was probably in her early forties - asked. "What brought you to New York?"

Ana went on to explain that she was a huge reader from the time she learned to read as a child, and with her degree in literature, she thought it was a natural progression to enter the publishing industry. As Elena continued to tick away questions based on Ana's resume, she finally began to relax and gained control of the conversation, proudly highlighting her achievements in college and detailing the work she'd done in her internships and with a local literary magazine.

"You have some solid experience," Elena noted, "but are you really ready for New York? It's all cut-throat out there. Everyone is scrambling to be bigger and better than the next person. Are you up for that challenge?"

"If I wasn't," Ana began, "I wouldn't be here right now."

"I can be a tough boss," Elena warned. "But you'll learn everything you need to know about this industry from the ground up in this position. Does that frighten you?"

"I'm willing to work hard, Ms. Lincoln," Ana assured her. "I'm willing to put in my hours, pay my dues and give this job my very best."

"Please, call me Elena," she said without a trace of sincerity. "Well, Anastasia, it's been lovely meeting you. We should be making our decision by the end of the day. You'll be hearing from us soon."

"I'm home, Roomie!" Kate's voice burst forth as she pushed open the door to the apartment. "And it's Friday night in New York!"

Ana had been sitting quietly in her room, lost in the pages of Madame Bovary, when she heard the ruckus in the living room. Katherine Kavanagh was never one to make a quiet entrance.

After her second interview, Ana had little energy, between her travels the day before and learning out to navigate through the simplicities of the metropolitan jungle outside. She wanted to do nothing but talk to Ray for some reassurance and read. In fact, she'd completely allowed the entire afternoon to get away from her, and she had no idea what time it was.

"How'd it go?" Kate flopped down on Ana's bed, her big green eyes ever curious. "You obviously didn't get lost because I didn't hear from you."

"What time is it now, Kate?" Ana wondered.

"Five-fifteen," she answered. "The night is very young."

"Well, the woman at the first interview said I'd be hearing from her today," Ana explained. "It's already late - and it's Friday."

"Oh, no one ever calls you back on a job when they're supposed to," Kate was quick to offer. She could see that Ana was getting herself in a bit of a fuss. "I wouldn't worry too much. They'll probably call early next week."

"I think I did well, Kate," Ana said at last. "And I'd accept an offer from either company, just to get my foot in the door."

When Ana's phone began to suddenly ring, Kate squealed. "Maybe this is your call!"

"Don't jump to any conclusions yet," Ana warned, then reached for her phone. "This is Anastasia Steele. Yes, hello, Mrs. - I mean - Elena. Good to hear from you. Yes. And the salary? Why, of course, I'd be happy to accept. And yes, I can start a week from Tuesday."

Kate bounced off the bed for a quick victory dance for Ana, who tried desperately to ignore her best friend's antics while she took care of business, sorting out her hours and other small details of the job.

"Thanks again, Elena," Ana said, "and I'm very much looking forward to working with you."

"Yay!" Kate screamed again once Ana hung up the phone and threw her arms around her best friend. "One day - and you've got a job already!"

Flooded with relief, Ana fell back on the stack of pillows behind her. Yes, one day in New York, and she was already gainfully employed. She hoped this would alleviate some of her parents' fears over her move.

On cue, and as if she could read Ana's thoughts, Kate said, "If you had any doubts about living here, I think they've just been erased, Steele."

"I think I'm just a little blindsided right now," Ana admitted. "So much has happened in the last twenty-four hours."

"And with more adventures to come," Kate said. "Starting with tonight."

"Oh, Kate, I'm not going anywhere this evening," she protested.

"You're not pulling that with me, Steele. Get moving. We've got places to go and people to see. And wealthy young men to meet."

Hesitation bore a crevasse into Kate's well intentioned plans. Ana pulled her bottom lip between her teeth while she considered her options. "What if I'm bored? I've never been to an event like this..."

Kate raised her right hand. "I'll put you in a cab and send you back here, I promise."

Sighing with resignation, Ana shrugged her shoulders. "Fine, Katherine Agnes Kavanagh. You win again. Just let me call Mom and Ray to let them know about the job first."

"Call away - we've got some celebrating to do this evening," she retorted. "When you're finished, come to my room. We've got to go raid my closet. You need an outfit for tonight, Anastasia Rose Steele."


	3. Chapter 3

_****_WOW! Thanks to everyone for the likes! I hope you're enjoying the story so far...

_**Chapter Three**_  
Just as Ana had suspected, Kate's offering of a celebration wasn't exactly what she had in mind to commemorate her first legitimate job after graduation. Not even the expansive view of the New York City skyline from the huge windows in this TriBeca loft could distract her. The loud music, coupled with the throngs of gorgeous people everywhere, left her feeling uneasy once again and prompted more doubts about her move to New York. She knew she had to give her new life a fighting chance, but she would have preferred to just dip her toes in the water rather than taking a giant leap to plunge right in.

Kate managed to work her aesthetic prowess twice in one day, and even Ana had to admit that she was happy with the outcome. Her best friend had dressed her in a deep plumb, form-fitting dress with a simple pair of black leather heels. For the evening, she'd darkened Ana's make-up a bit, adding a smoky eye and layers of mascara to the look, enhancing her deep-set, wide blue eyes. She'd even given Ana's long, flowing chestnut tresses a quick trim before blowing out the long locks into soft waves that fell far below her shoulders.

But now, Ana found herself in a corner, alone, while Kate mingled, scouring the room for some tidbits of gossip for her bi-weekly column. She'd already gulped three glasses of champagne just to curb her jitters, but not even the highest top shelf liquor could force her to do some mingling of her own. Perhaps, she thought, she should just find Kate and take her up on the offer for a cab ride back to the apartment.

Eyes surveying the room, she thought she spotted her dear friend off in a corner, chatting with some handsome, young - and likely wealthy - man. Narrowing her focus, Ana could see that Kate certainly wasn't working too hard that evening as she batted her eyes and winked at her pursuer. It wouldn't have been the first time Ana needed to interrupt such a moment in Kate's life, and she knew it probably wouldn't be the last.

Carefully, Ana plotted her route, meandering through the tight crowd across what seemed to be a football field of a living room. In true Steele fashion, however, she felt herself falling, as one spike of her heels caught in the other, pulling her straight down to the polished hardwood floor beneath her. Fire radiated on her face, which she tried to mask with the tiny bejeweled bag Kate had loaned her for the evening, but before she could get up and run, she felt the sturdy grip of long fingers clasp her arms, pulling her upward and helping her to stand.

She closed her eyes for a moment, too terrified to face her rescuer, but once she opened them, she found his own soulful - possibly sad - grey stare piercing her own. Teeth wrapping around her bottom lip, she thought those eyes just might have the power to stop her thundering heart beating so wildly in her chest.

Electricity, white and hot, radiated through the palm of her hand that he held so delicately in his own. This single moment rendered her speechless. She couldn't move, paralyzed by this copper-haired gentleman with the chiseled jaw, too handsome face and steely gaze.

"Are you alright, Miss...?" he said, still clutching her hand, which Ana was certain was sweating by now.

She could only nod in response.

"That was quite a little tumble," he noted. "Let me get you a drink..."

"No, no, no," Ana protested at last, her voice barely audible between the noise and her own weakness that seemed to shrink further with each passing second. "I was just - leaving, actually."

Ana completely missed the look of disappointment that clouded his face as Kate hurried up to her side.

"Grey," Kate muttered out of the corner of her mouth.

"Kavanagh," he retorted back, then turned to Ana, his face softening in the dim party light. "And I still didn't catch your name?"

"Anastasia Steele," Kate spoke for her. "My new roommate. And we were just about to have a private conversation..."

"Anastasia," he murmured, and she felt weak enough to fall once again as he gave a gentle squeeze to the hand he still held. "Christian Grey. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"And you..." she breathed. "...Christian..."

Wrapping her arm around Ana and turning her away from his piercing stare, Kate said, "See you around the scene, Grey. Hopefully in another lifetime."

"Good to see you, too, Katherine," he said, a twinge of hostility rising in his voice.

"C'mawn, Ana."

For a fleeting moment, she felt like Cinderella at the ball, dancing with the prince, only to have her step-sisters commandeer the entire evening into a great let-down. Ana wasn't certain what the hell had just happened, but she'd weasel the scoop from Kate as they headed downstairs to find a taxi.

"Who the hell was that?" Ana said, relinquishing her own resistance.

Cocking her head back, Kate began to chuckle. "Oh, Ana, I think that's the first man who's ever made you breathless, but don't get too happy. He's an asshole. And I think he's gay."

"Gay?" Ana said a little too loudly as she directed Kate toward the door. "Why would you say such a thing?"

"Because he's the wealthiest bachelor in New York, and in twenty-eight years, he's never been spotted with a woman. He's hiding something."

"Why such hatred, Kate?"

"Listen, Ana, I've seen him on the circuit for years. He thinks he's all that and more. He was adopted by a very fine family as a child. His dad's an attorney - mom's a doctor. In fact, she was my pediatrician growing up," Kate explained. "Christian started a company on a shoestring when he dropped out of Harvard, made a fat wad of billions and now he thinks he owns the entire city - no, actually...thinks he owns the entire world."

"You seem awfully acrimonious," Kate observed. "Did you date him once and things went awry?"

Kate's face twisted into a sour look of disgust. "Oh, heavens, no! No way," she insisted. "I've just never appreciated his attitude. And I've told him that on a couple of occasions."

That was Kate! She certainly never curtailed her opinions on anyone or anything.

"Listen, I'm taking this whole thing as my cue to leave," Ana said rather suddenly. "I'm sorry, Kate, and I don't want to ruin your fun tonight. I'd just rather go home, crawl into my jammies, and..."

"Oh, Ana, I wish you'd stay," Kate cut her off, but she knew she couldn't fight the old Steele stubbornness. "Let's grab another drink, and I'll introduce you to some people."

"Really, Kate, I'd rather just hail a taxi and call it a night," Ana insisted, her eyes pleading. "You can stay. I don't expect you to cut your night short because of my stupid follies."

Reluctantly, Kate decided to give in. "OK, Steele, but I'm making it up to you the rest of the weekend."

As they waited together by the elevator bank, Kate placed a twenty dollar bill in Ana's hand. As she began to protest, Kate said firmly, "Take it and pay me back when you get your first paycheck, working girl."

"Thank you," Ana said softly.

Once they'd reached the ground level, Kate stepped out to the curb to hail a cab for her friend. "Now, listen, tell the driver to take you straight up First Avenue. It's the quickest route. That way, he'll think you know the city and won't take you the long way home."

"Got it, Miss New York," Ana said before she gave Kate a quick hug and climbed into the car.

Once the door was closed, she could hear Kate rambling, "Text me when you get home, Steele - I won't rest until I know you're there!"

Again, Ana enjoyed this time alone as the lights of the city ensconced her in their hypnotic backdrop, but she began to wonder once again if this was the right choice to make. So far, everything seemed to be going against her. Even her new boss had questioned her ability to withstand the pressures of her new hometown.

However, her thoughts drifted back once again to that handsome man at the party, his gentle touch, and his almost intruding stare. Ana could still feel the pressure of his fingers wrapped around her arm as he lifted her from the floor, still felt the pulse of energy radiating from his hand as it held hers.

None that mattered, though, because Ana knew she'd never see Christian Grey again. She simply didn't play in his circles like Kate did. She could have her little fantasy, just as she'd done for so many years with the romantic heroes she'd read about in books, but it ended there.

Once home, back inside the apartment, she dutifully texted her best friend to let her know that she was safe and sound with both locks bolted firmly on the door. Teasingly, Kate texted back, reminding her to leave the chain free so that she didn't have to wake her up in the middle of the night to answer the door.

The day was just too long, even though it was only eleven o'clock - which Kate considered a very early night - and Ana climbed readily into bed, drifting off almost immediately. However, one thing that she couldn't control were her dreams, and as she fell deeper into slumber, her subconscious was haunted by a man with a mop of copper hair, and piercing grey eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter Four**_  
Ana was awakened bright and early by her phone, alerting her to a text message. Judging by the morning light filtering through the blinds she'd forgotten to close, she knew it couldn't be any later than seven or so, and with the time difference, she knew it couldn't possibly be either one of her parents.

With a tired hand, she reached out, then squinted her eyes to read the text.

_Wake up, Roomie. I have a surprise for you today!_

Kate and her surprises. Ana had to love her.

Begrudgingly, she got out of bed, leaving behind the delicious dreams she'd had of that handsome stranger whom her best friend seemed to loathe, and planted her feet firmly on the floor. There would be no tripping that morning, she reminded herself.

She found Kate in the living room, waiting on the couch with a cup of coffee already in her hand. Ana looked at the clock on the cable box. It was seven-thirty, and she was actually surprised to see Kate so sprite after a long night out.

"Did you check your e-mail?" Kate asked immediately. Ana just shook her head in confusion. "Check it, Steele. It's part of my surprise!"

Switching on her phone, Ana scrolled through her e-mails, opening first the offer letter from Elena, sent promptly the previous evening. Before catering to Kate's latest whim, Ana responded quickly to her new boss and hit send.

After opening Kate's e-mail, she opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't find the words. Tears formed in her eyes as she rallied to think of a proper response. Her best friend had sent her a generous gift certificate for Bloomingdale's, with an invitation to spend the day shopping away for a new work wardrobe and bedroom decor.

"Kate, this is -" she stammered, biting her lip, "- this is just too much."

"Oh, Ana, just enjoy it and come shopping with me!" Kate insisted. "You have to look perfect for your first day at work. I want you to shine."

Feet scurrying across the hardwood floor toward the couch, Ana leaned down with open arms to hug Kate. "You really are the best friend a girl could have, you know that, Kavanagh?"

"No, you are, Ana," she returned. "I just wanted to say congratulations to make today a little better than last night. Now, go get dressed and get ready for some power shopping. I have a sweet little detour on our way to Bloomies, and you'll love it. Trust me."

True to her word, Kate's surprise was indeed a scrumptious one: breakfast at Alice's Teacup, a local chain of restaurants that specialized in just that - tea parties. Ana was almost flustered by the pages of offerings on the menu, filled with tea selections from around the world, scones, and an array of breakfast delights. For the first time in three days, she felt as if she were finally relaxing, just nibbling and giggling with Kate.

From the restaurant, they had only a short walk to Bloomingdale's, which left Ana overwhelmed once again. While Kate seemed to know the store with innate precision, the seemingly endless rows of counters and racks of clothes just boggled Ana's thoughts. In fact, she couldn't even think about what she wanted to buy - let alone try anything on - with this sea of limitless options. Kate, again, took charge of the situation and led her to the proper departments, then proceeded to pile a mound of her own selections for her best friend into Ana's arms. Skirts. Blouses. Pants. Dresses. Ana was in pain from the load she carried before she even managed to step into the fitting room.

What seemed like hours later, they emerged from the store, exhausted - each of them carrying too many shopping bags. In fact, Kate's doorman had to help them through the lobby when they'd arrived back at her building.

As the young man piled their finds on a rolling cart to deliver them upstairs to the apartment, he stopped for a moment and said, "Oh, before you go, those flowers on the desk are for you..."

Kate's smile brightened as she turned to walk toward the huge bouquet, but the doorman stopped her in her tracks. "No, Miss Kavanagh," he said gently. "They're for Miss Steele..."

Turning to Ana with an inquisitive look in her eyes, Kate began to giggle.

"Probably from my mother as a congratulations on the new job," Ana said, as she retrieved the card. All the while, a towering Kate peered over her shoulder.

However, Ana was in no rush to read the card inside the envelope that simply bore her name and address. Scooping the roses into her arms, she tugged along toward the elevator. Sometimes making Kate wait was just too much fun.

"You're killing me right now, Steele," Kate muttered while the car made its slow climb to the sixteenth floor. "Open it!"

"As soon as we get to the apartment," Ana said. "Patience is a virtue, you know, Kate."

Ana continued the game and took her sweet old time lugging the huge display to her bedroom where she'd placed them down on the windowsill. Naturally, Kate was at her heels and practically jumped on the bed beside her while Ana's fingers slipped the envelope open.

_I'll see you this evening, Miss Steele._  
_A car will pick you up at eight._  
_Regards,_  
_Christian Grey_

"Wh-what?" Kate spat, reading over Ana's shoulder. "Christian Grey? What the hell...? Ana...he...I..."

For once, the cat caught Kate's tongue, and Ana couldn't help but revel for a moment before she realized that she possibly maybe had a - date? - with that stunning man she swore she'd never ever cross paths with again.

"How did he know...?" Kate began, then raised her hand to her mouth. "How did he find you here?"

"You told him that we're roommates," Ana reminded her, as her eyes glazed over the words, handwritten almost in calligraphy, on the heavy linen card. Flowers from Christian Grey. This day was just getting stranger by the moment.

She allowed her excitement to linger for only a moment before her thoughts jumped toward accusations of stalking. Unexpected and a little out of line, Ana began to reconsider the invitation. She couldn't - wouldn't dare - go out with him...or would she?

"I just don't get this," Ana said at last. "Where does he want me to go? Why does he want to see me?"

"He's probably a serial killer, Ana," Kate offered quickly. "And he's got so much money, he could cover up his crime until the end of the world."

"Oh, stop!" Ana said, hoping her tone wasn't too harsh. "So much for his being gay, I suppose, Kate?"

"He could still be gay," she insisted. "Maybe he's inviting you to some Drag Ball in Chelsea..."

"Well, thank goodness we went shopping today."

Eyes widening with fear, she grabbed Ana's shoulders, shaking her as if to stun some sense back into her friend. "You're...you're not seriously thinking of going, are you?"

"Why not? I've no other plans this evening."

"Rule number one in New York, Ana," Kate began, "never accept a blind date before you know exactly where you're going and what you'll be doing."

"This isn't exactly a blind date, Kate," Ana said. Besides, the mystery only added to her own intrigue. "And if he's as high-profile as you've said, I don't think he has any sinister plans for the evening."

"I can't believe you're even considering this." Kate began to pace in the carpet in the small space between the bed and the windows, nearly toppling the dozen red roses to the floor. "In fact, you can't do this, Ana. I won't allow it. I'll be sick with worry all night."

However, it was far too late for Kate's protest to make an impression. Although Christian was technically stalking her, Ana couldn't help but muse that she'd never been so spoiled - first with a shopping spree, then with roses and a date - for her typical clumsy moves in her entire life!

"Help me choose an outfit for this evening, will you?" Ana tugged her hand, pulling Kate off the bed and dragging her toward their bags in the living room.

"I swear, Anastasia Steele, if you don't text me every twenty minutes, I'm calling the NYPD and having them send a squad car for that - that - m-man!"

"Hourly, and we've got a deal, Katherine."

"Wow!" Kate's mouth dropped to the floor when Ana finally stepped out of her bedroom nearly two hours after she'd shut the door.

Ana smoothed her hands over her dress, a champagne colored silk with a black lace overlay, that hugged every curve of her body. The thin spaghetti straps hung delicately over her tiny frame.

Standing tall in matching heels, although not quite as high as the night before, she forced a nervous smile on her glossed lips as she allowed Kate's reaction to unfold. Ana had pinned her hair up, leaving only soft tendrils to frame her face, which she'd barely dusted with a light application of blush.

"He totally doesn't deserve you looking so elegant," Kate said.

"Well, Kate, thanks to you, I had something to wear tonight," Ana said, just to remind Kate of her appreciation for all she did. She gave her best friend's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "It's all going to be fine."

"Promise you'll check in with me, Ana," Kate said, her eyes so very serious as they bore into Ana's dreamy gaze. She could tell already that Ana was so uncharacteristically smitten. In the four years they'd been friends, she'd never known her to smile so almost seductively at the thought of a man. In fact, Ana's usual modus operandi was to just cover her embarrassment with a book in front of her face. "I'm just concerned about you."

"Please don't worry," Ana repeated. "I'm a big girl."

"Yeah, but you've never allowed yourself to really date while we were in college," Kate pointed out. "And this guy is major league. Just be careful. And don't let him hurt you. I'm a phone call away, OK?"

"He's not going to hurt me," Ana insisted. But really, she had no idea what her stalker's intentions were. She could only hope it would be a quick dinner, then maybe a kiss on the cheek. Ana allowed herself the permission to go out with Christian Grey only with the assumption that after tonight, he probably wouldn't want to see her dull and boring self ever again. "Besides, Ray taught me a few moves. Don't forget, Kate, I do know how to shoot a gun."

The phone began to ring off in the distance with a call from the lobby, interrupting their conversation.

"Well, Steele, your car is here," Kate said, and reached out to hug Ana so tightly, as if it would be the last time. "I do hope you have some fun tonight."

"I'll try," Ana said, as she grabbed her shawl, and headed out the door.

Much to her surprise, Christian Grey was waiting for her in the lobby. Seeing him again just made her sigh uncontrollably - that muss of copper hair, the allure of those deep grey eyes, the clench of his angled jaw as he smiled when he spotted her.

He was dressed as if he'd just stepped out of the boardroom, wearing a smart navy blazer, his trademark grey trousers, and a silvery tie that popped against his crisp white shirt. He was so very tall, and he'd obviously worked out, as Ana noted his taut thighs and the bulk of his upper arms.

Admittedly, she'd Googled him, scouring the internet for any bit of information she could find while she got ready for the evening. True to what Kate had told her, he was a very private person. She'd only managed to uncover business articles filled with terms on mergers and acquisitions that she couldn't comprehend. The occasional profile said nothing beyond the quick rundown Kate had already revealed. He didn't speak much of his adoptive family, and there was not a single mention of a woman in his life. There was also rampant discussions on numerous blogs about the true nature of his sexuality, but Ana was quick to shove that assumption aside. He was here now. Waiting for her. On a warm Saturday evening in New York.

Timidly, she stepped across the marble floor, willing herself not to repeat the previous evening, and then stopped dead in her approach, leaving over a foot of space between them. Heat radiating over her face, her neck and her shoulders, even with the distance, Ana felt she was standing far too near.

Then, Christian took a step back, caught his breath, and whispered, "You look exquisite, Miss Steele."

His words alone left her feeling distracted and devastatingly attracted in ways she'd never imagined. Never before had a man had such an intense effect on her, making her weak just hearing his voice. However, she had to pull herself together. They had an entire evening ahead of them, and she didn't want to make any blunders under the watchful grey gaze of Mr. Christian Grey.

"Thank you," she mumbled, as he gestured toward the revolving door. So naïve with this whole dating thing, she wasn't sure if she should return the compliment, but decided to remain silent as he escorted her out to the black sedan parked right in front of Kate's building.

"Hope you're ready for a little fun tonight, Miss Steele," Christian said as he slid into the backseat next to her. She noted the driver, and wondered if this was his personal chauffeur. However, before she had a second to ponder, Christian's deft, long fingers played over her seatbelt and fastened her in for the ride.

_And what a ride, she thought, this was certainly going to be..._


	5. Chapter 5

Wow - I'm so humbled by all of my followers! I can't thank you enough for following along with me. I'm still new at this, so I'm afraid to read my own reviews yet...but I do hope everyone is enjoying this journey with me! ;) A heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you!

_**Chapter Five**_

They hadn't traveled far, just a few blocks, but traffic was heavy. After all, it was a Saturday evening in New York.

Ana couldn't stop herself from remembering what she'd been doing just seven days ago. She'd worked all day at the hardware store, then decided to have a few farewell drinks with her college chum, Jose. For years, Kate said that his attentions were far more than a mere pursuit of friendship, but Ana didn't see it that way. In fact, she looked at him like the brother she never had rather than some romantic hero. Their last evening together was pleasant, and she allowed him a hug and a quick peck on the cheek before he bade her good-bye on Ray's doorstep early that morning. Now, she mused how drastically her life had changed in just a mere week. She'd never imagined, while slugging away cheap beers with Jose, that she'd be out on the town with one of the richest men in the world the following weekend.

Christian throttled her from her reverie when he asked, "Do you have any idea where we are right now, Anastasia?"

She had to smile at her own ignorance as she shrugged her shoulders. "No, Christian, I really don't..."

"Come," he took her hand and helped her out of the car. "Look up."

The Empire State Building stood so majestically above them, its grand old beauty topped by a blaze of white lights. Everything in the city was so new to her and beyond any comprehension of the life she'd lived in Portland. There were tourists on every side, directing their cameras and phones upward into the sky, just for the perfect shot of this New York City landmark, and she couldn't help but giggle to herself that she was standing there right alongside them, on a date with Christian Grey.

"We're going to the top?" she asked, an almost childlike smile playing over her lips.

When he returned her smile, Ana thought she just might melt. "We are indeed, Miss Steele. Now, if you'll just follow me..."

###

"Oh...my!"

The shock in Ana's voice mirrored that which cloaked her face. She wasn't flabbergasted by the ultimate view of Manhattan one-hundred and two floors beneath them. What left her stunned is that they were absolutely, positively, completely alone.

Soft music played off in the distance, just heightening the intimacy of the scene before her eyes. Bryan Ferry, she thought it was. There was a small round table covered with a heavy linen cloth with two cafe chairs. A bottle of Bollinger sat in a heavy pewter ice bucket, flanked by two crystal champagne flutes and a platter of fruits.

"Do...you...own this building?" The moment she'd uttered the words, she wanted to take them right back. A man just threw a private soiree for the two of them on top of one of the world's biggest tourist attractions, and she could think of nothing else to say! She cursed herself and reminded her promise to herself to keep her cool and her wits about her that evening.

Christian's chuckle was low, almost sensual as it rolled from his throat. "No, Ana. I do not, unfortunately, own this building."

Slowly, she walked around, surveying the lights of Manhattan from every angle and giggling out loud. This was absolutely decadent, if not extravagant, but obviously, it was just the way Christian Grey liked to live.

"So...how exactly does one gain private access to the observation deck of the Empire State Building during the height of the tourist season on a Saturday evening?

"He pays for it," he said so matter of factly that Ana almost cringed. "And I hope it's worth your while, Anastasia."

He directed her attention toward the table, beckoning her to join him for a glass of champagne.

"This is...unbelievable." She knew her words were absolutely inadequate, but Christian had a way of tying up her tongue.

"Well, I thought this might amuse you, being so new to New York," he remarked as he expertly maneuvered the cork from the bottle, which left only a slight pop and little fizz upon removal. "You just arrived Thursday?"

"How did...?" Oh, yes, he was indeed stalking her.

"I know as much about you - or as little - as a background check would provide," he said simply. "You seem to have lived a very quiet life, Ana."

A background check? Ana wasn't sure whether to be flattered or infuriated. To some degree, she felt as if she were at his mercy, but her conflicting emotions began to run wild. She wanted to escape, hide herself away from his prying self forever...but she also wanted to stick around for a while to find out exactly what Christian Grey had in mind for her.

"I suppose I did," she whispered. She caught his moody grey eyes in her stare as he passed a champagne flute to her. Slowly, she curved her lips around the glass, indulging in the taste, watching him with equal intensity as he minded her.

"I hope that's better than the sparkling wine served at that event last night," he quipped suddenly, changing the subject before she had the chance to explain herself. He noted the rise of color in her cheeks as he recalled her embarrassment the night before.

"It was a night I'd love to forget in many ways," she said.

His hand immediately closed in, his finger lifting her chin. "May I remind you, Miss Steele, had you not tripped, we probably wouldn't have met."

That single touch of his finger burned against her already heated skin. She was certain at that point that her lungs had collapsed completely, as she struggled for words...for air. His face was so close. Her lips dangled open in a perfect pout. Yet just as she assumed that he was likely going to claim her mouth with his own...Christian moved his finger away in one painfully long stroke.

"So, you've taken up residence with Miss Kavanagh, have you?"

Shifting on her weakened knees, she almost couldn't follow his rapid change of conversation. "Kate is my best friend from college."

"She's certainly not fond of me," Christian admitted. "I'm just glad you didn't allow her to deter you from coming this evening, Ana. I'm so very glad you're here."

"Christian," she said at last, "why are we here?"

"Because you intrigue me, Miss Steele," he said. "And from what little I know, you're an enigma. I love to play games...I love to solve puzzles. I think you might fit into that particular role."

His dialogue called for another sip of champagne, which left Ana's glass drained.

"And as I'm sure you know," he continued, but never wavered as he refilled her glass, "I always get what I want."

"I'm not the only one who's got some mysterious ways here, Christian," she countered. "I spent time looking you up online - and I know nothing more than I did when I initially typed your name into Google."

"Well played, Miss Steele, but you'll know all you need to know soon enough." he agreed and reached for a plump strawberry. "Hungry?"

Before she had the chance to answer, he held the deep red bulb to her lips, sliding it into her mouth, then without warning, he kissed her, feeding the strawberry further with his demanding lips and the exploration of his tongue.

With his hand gripping her head so tightly, Ana moaned softly, acutely aware of all of her senses exploding with each deliberate pulse of kiss, and raked her fingers through his mass of copper hair. Something was happening to her body that she'd never encountered before - a stirring in her tummy mounting, an ache deep within building, a passion that she'd once challenged the existence of rising to heights she'd deemed unimaginable...until now as she fell peril one Christian Grey.

As the juice from the succulent fruit trickled over her lips and down her chin, Christian's lips followed, lapping at the drops along the way until her face was clean. All the while, Ana's fingers were still entwined in his hair, now mussed from their salacious exchange. She craved so much more...and yet...he drew back to look again into the passionate stare of her powder blue eyes.

"Champagne?" he asked, his breath tickling her mouth, cheeks and neck.

"I...want..." she whispered - begged, "I want you...to kiss me...again..."

"We have all evening, baby," he said, and lifted the glass to Ana's gaping lips. "Drink," he commanded, and Ana followed his order, hoping he might change his mind. "Good girl..."

With his hand planted firmly on the small of her back, Christian slowly turned her, leading her attention to the city beneath them.

"So what do you think of your first few days in the city?" he wondered out loud.

"So far, things aren't so bad - especially tonight." Christian stood so very closely behind her that she thought for a moment she could feel the slightest pressure of his arousal brush ever so casually against her. He certainly loved to torture a girl.

"Well, enjoy the city now, while you can," he said, "since you'll be starting that new job at Remington Publishing soon."

"You know?" Shaking her head, she turned around to face him. "But how...?"

"As I've told you, Miss Steele, I've already run a background check on you," he said. "A man in my position certainly must know who and what he's dealing with, and I can't just leave that up to fate."

"You certainly have your ways, Mr. Grey," she muttered.

"What was that?" he leaned closer, feigning that he'd misunderstood what she said.

A nervous energy began to spark inside her once more, and she sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. Ana wasn't sure if it was the lingering effects of that kiss...or fear of what Christian might say or do next. She simply couldn't keep up with his mercury levels, but he certainly kept her on her toes.

"I said you certainly have your ways..." she repeated, her voice rising.

"Stop biting your lip, Ana," he ordered.

Her mouth opened wide with his sudden declaration. Moody. Bossy. And so damned appealing.

"That's better," he said. "Otherwise, we might have a problem."

"Problem?"

"You're absolutely irresistible when you do that," he explained. "And I'm not ready to kiss you again yet."

"You love to tease, Mr. Grey..."

"Oh, it's far beyond the tease, Miss Steele..." he whispered. "You've no idea."

"So why don't you clue me in?" she asked.

"In due time," he said, turning her again to face the skyline. "Due time, baby."

Slowly, his fingers danced along the shawl that she clutched protectively around her, every so methodically pushing the soft silk cover away until it dropped to the cement beneath their feet. Ana could feel the tickle of Christian's sigh along the length of her neck, over her alabaster shoulders, then trickling down her spine. Purposefully, he reached for her hands that had dropped to her sides and clutched them with one hand, binding them within the ring of only just his fingers behind her back.

"Look over there, baby," he murmured, guiding her toward the field of green in the far-off distance. "Can you see Central Park?"

"Mmmhmmm," she uttered, her body slackening against his all-consuming prowess. "I see..."

"Just focus, Ana," he whispered. "Imagine the fun we could have together...within the forest of all those trees..."

"Christian..." She squirmed again, uncomfortable in too many right ways as he held her immobile, between his body and hands and the barrier wall surrounding the observation deck. "What are you doing to me?"

"Why, Miss Steele," he said, releasing her hands suddenly, "I'm just enjoying the view..."


	6. Chapter 6

I just mustered my courage and read all of my reviews - you guys are the best! I'm blushing at all of the wonderful comments. And I'm so glad you're liking the story so far. Here's one more chapter for tonight. Thanks to all for giving a read!

_**Chapter Six**_  
The tips of Christian's fingertips feathered the skinny straps of Ana's dress aside, warming her up and making her shiver simultaneously. For once in her life, she was happy that she didn't accept Kate's fashion sense to forgo a bra, and went for a simple strapless that held her breasts in check...at least for the moment.

"Having fun in New York yet, Miss Steele?" Christian breathed against her ear, daring to dip his fingers just below the top of her bodice.

Voice choked with shock and fear - and an undeniable twinge of arousal that she made a desperate attempt to ignore - Ana simply couldn't speak. The notion of just how isolated they were - just the two of them atop the city's largest skyscraper with no one else in sight - brought with it a sense of panic. However, as he turned her gently to face him, Ana couldn't deny that she'd already fallen prey to his dastardly seductive charms.

While she hated to admit it, perhaps Kate was right all along. Ana knew she had no business going out with Christian Grey. He was out of her league on too many levels. He was a big city boy, and she was just a small town girl, fresh out of college. He had more money than he knew what to do with it, and he obviously played very hard and very fast. Certainly, she reasoned, little Anastasia Rose Steele couldn't hold his attention for long.

With a delicate precision, as if he were handling a fine porcelain doll, Christian wove his fingers into her hair, carefully tugging her hairpins and letting them fall to the ground with her scarf. The brush of his fingertips against her scalp were like velvet, erasing the qualms that raced through Ana's mind just seconds ago.

"I much prefer your hair like this, Anastasia," he murmured, his hands coming through her locks. Carefully, almost dutifully, he tucked a strand of her hair that had fallen against her face behind her ear. "Lovely."

Again, Ana dug her teeth into her bottom lip, and he lifted her chin.

"Stop biting your lip right now, Anastasia," he warned. "And don't do it again. Understand?"

So caught up in his Rasputin-like appeal, so lost in the depths of those dark and brooding grey eyes, she could only nod in response.

"Answer me, please," he prompted.

At that moment, she would have agreed to anything he asked - even if it meant jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge. "I won't do it again..." she spoke at last.

"Good girl," he said, and patted her on the head. "So, Miss Steele, how are you planning to spend your week off before work begins?"

"I should probably acquaint myself with the city," she said. "Learn my way around..."

"I'd love to show you some of the...finer points of Manhattan," he said quickly.

"So this isn't just a one nighter?" Ana asked.

"Not at all." Christian's eyes followed her carefully, minding every nervous move Ana made, as she kicked around her feet and tried desperately to avoid his stare. "I'd like to get to know you better."

And Ana wanted to get to know him as well, if for no other reason than to find out why he seemed so damn taken with her. She just didn't understand him at all. Without a doubt, he could have any woman he wanted - actresses, models, even royalty - yet this handsome gazillionaire with a perfect face and body to match had chosen to spend his Saturday night with her. There just had to be an ulterior motive, Ana thought.

"Why me?" she pressed, but just as soon as the words left her lips, Ana wanted to take them back. She thought she sounded so needy - so desperate - and she could only guess that was the last thing Christian wanted in a woman.

"I've already told you that you intrigue me," he said, his palms dusting over her bare shoulders, his fingers twisting the straps he had pushed aside earlier. "And I'd like to find out if we're-" he stopped silent, choosing his words, "-compatible in the sort of arrangement I'm looking for."

"Arrangement?" she questioned. Christian had such a way with words - warm as an open fire one moment, then cold as a glacier the next. "What exactly are you looking for, Mr. Grey?"

"Due time, Anastasia," he said again. "You're quite impatient, aren't you?

"I'm an only child," she defended herself. "I guess I'm used to having my way."

"And I guess I've got my work cut out for me," he said, his hands skimming over her shoulders and down her back to pull her just a bit closer.

Ana seized that opportunity to take advantage of the closeness she'd been longing for since he kissed her. Cautiously, she placed her hands on his chest, hoping he wouldn't feel the tremble of her fingers. Eyes dropping closed, she decided to take a rare chance at boldness and dared to press her palms against his muscular frame. Yet as she reveled in the taut strength beneath his crisp white shirt, she could feel him wince, and when she opened her eyes in wide surprise, she found his stare filled with wariness, discomfort almost, and perhaps even traces of anger and sadness.

She wanted to pull away, but fear held her all too still as his hands tightened at the small of her back.

"Do not, Anastasia, touch me," he said, then in a blinding second, caught her hands in his own. "Understand?"

"Christian, I-"

"Ever, Anastasia," he affirmed. "Are you paying attention?"

Crouching under the weight of her resurfacing fears and confusion, she nodded very slowly. "Yes, Christian..."

"I just want to be clear here, Miss Steele," he began, "my world doesn't revolve around hearts and flowers."

"But-" she stopped for a moment, and bit her lip, "-but what about the roses?"

"Mere packaging for an invitation," he said. "I needed to get your attention, and I think I managed to accomplish that. You're here now, aren't you?"

"So that's what all of this is for you, Christian?" she asked. "Just a game?"

"That's life, Anastasia. It's all about playing - playing to win." he said very simply as his fingers returned to her now bedraggled brown tresses. "But with you as the prize, it's a game worth playing."

Clearly, she thought, she was on the losing end of this match. This man was impossible to comprehend, infuriating at moments, but Ana still remained captivated by his inexplicable ways. Fleeing was no longer an option. She was too intrigued to bid him adieu just yet. She had to stick around, dig further into the depths of this confounding man.

"Now, tell me, Ana," he began, "how exactly would you like to play tourist this week?"

Her soft giggle echoed between them, and she noted his smile.

"That's a beautiful sound," he noted. "You have such a sweet laugh."

The urge to bite her lip was unbearable, and as tempted as she was to defy him, she pursed her lips instead. Flustered again, she knew her face had flushed a thousand shades of crimson.

"Don't you have a company to run, Mr. Grey?" she challenged.

"That's the beauty of being CEO," he said. "I can take time off when necessity calls."

"Why don't you surprise me?" she suggested. "You certainly managed to do that this evening."

"The night is still young - I may have another."

Those damn eyes were twinkling once more, brighter than the lights of the city behind them, with teases and promises. Again, she wondered if he would kiss her now and put her out of the misery of her own longing.

"Right now, I'd love it if you'd dance with me," he suggested, circling his arms around her waist and giving her no choice in the matter.

Bryan Ferry continued to croon "Slave to Love" as Christian pulled Ana even closer. Mindful of his warning, Ana remained fearful of touching him, so she stood upon her tiptoes and simply folded her hands together at the back of his neck.

All the while, Ana felt as if she were drowning in her own awkwardness. Admittedly, she'd never danced with a man, really, unless a few inebriated bumps and grinds at the local university watering hole counted. Under Christian's expert guidance, though, she slowly found her rhythm, her hips swaying in time to the languid, mournful beat with him.

Now, there was no doubt of his attraction for her as his hips deftly moved with her...against her. Luring her back again once more with his amorous persuasion, he commanded her to follow his lead without uttering a single word.

Those forgotten straps he'd pushed to the wayside earlier now tickled her bare arms, and she was thankful for his masterful grip of her waist, which she was certain was preventing her from another mortifying fall.

Talking didn't seem to be a necessity as one song played into the next. As Christian dipped his head, nuzzling her neck with the tip of his nose, Ana thought for a moment that she just might collapse right there in his arms.

"Hungry, baby?" he murmured at last, after they'd danced together for what seemed like hours to Ana.

Famished, yes, but food was the last thing on her mind at the moment. She shrugged her shoulders, as she looked in his eyes with a headiness she'd never known.

"You must eat, Anastasia," he whispered when she didn't answer him and placed one tiny kiss on her earlobe.

"Whatever you'd like, Christian," she breathed at last, still reveling in the feel of his arms slung about her waist.

"Good," he smiled, nodding thoughtfully. "I've got just the place in mind..."

**SONG CREDIT:** _Bryan Ferry's "Slave to Love" from the album "Boys & Girls."_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter Seven**_  
The streets were still busy early that Sunday morning. It was well after two, and as the sedan cruised quickly uptown along Eighth Avenue, Ana couldn't believe how many people were still out and about.

"I guess it's really true then," Ana said suddenly. "New York never sleeps!"

"No, Ana, I suppose it doesn't," Christian responded, tugging at her seatbelt, just to make sure that he'd fastened it properly.

"And I guess that you never take the subway, with the luxury of having a private chauffeur," she added with a nod toward the driver in the front seat.

Christian's gentle laugh played against the quiet night. "Ana, that's my security guard, Taylor," he explained but was quick to notice her look of absolute alarm. "It's needed when you're dealing with the scope of a business like mine. You can't take any risks."

"Hence the forensics background check on little old me," she giggled, prompting him to turn to her quickly with a smile curving slowly on those lips that she was longing to kiss again.

"Fair point, well made, Miss Steele," he murmured. "And we're almost there..."

Just from her initial impressions on New York, Ana couldn't help but wonder where the hell he was taking her now. She knew they were going for a very late dinner, if not an extremely early breakfast, but from the looks of her surroundings, she felt as if she were in the middle of a residential neighborhood. The old luxury buildings lined both sides of the street with many of the apartments still lighted within. Ana amused herself by wondering just what the occupants were up to at this hour, then chuckled to herself, thinking that this was well past her own bedtime.

When the car stopped at last in front of a tiny corner diner, Christian unbuckled her seatbelt and reached for her hand.

"I'll wait for you, Sir," Taylor said, turning around to face his boss. "And then, if you'd like me to drop Miss Steele at home?"

"Perfect, Taylor," Christian said, leading the way to the diner's front door.

So he planned on sending her home that evening, she thought to herself. Perhaps he wasn't the evil, stalking brood that her subconscious had accused him of being earlier in the night. In fact, she reasoned, taking care to return her to her apartment safely was quite the gentlemanly thing to do.

"I thought that nothing quite represents true New York cuisine like a good old-fashioned diner," Christian explained as he held the door, gesturing for Ana's entrance. "After you, Miss Steele."

The decor was so simple - brown leather booths, Formica tabletops and a long lunch counter with red leather-topped stools along the far wall. She loved this place already. Again, they were the only two people in the restaurant, aside from a tired waitress dressed in black pants and a wrinkled white shirt that bore the grease stains of that evening's earlier orders. Over her big brown coffee mug, she managed a tired smile at Christian the moment they stopped inside.

"Morning, Mr. Grey," she said, ushering the two to a quiet table in the rear.

"Good morning, Luann," he said, returning the smile.

"Your usual?" she asked. "Or should I bring menus?"

"The usual is fine, and make it for two, please."

"Do you always order for your - dates?" Ana asked, hoping she wasn't assuming too much about their evening together.

"Yes," he said. "Always."

"And did you buy out this place as well?" she teased.

"No, Ana, I did not," both his tone and smile amused. "We're actually not far from my apartment."

"Really?" Another surprise to Ana's ever-eager ears. "I thought you'd live downtown - or in Brooklyn. Kate says that's where everything is happening in this city."

After taking a sip of coffee, Christian cleared his throat and made a sour face. "Clearly Miss Kavanagh's tastes leave a lot to be desired."

"Wow, you two really don't like each other, do you?" A nervous curiosity peaked, and Ana felt she had to capitalize on the moment to get some answers. If Kate wouldn't talk about this riff between Christian and herself, maybe he would.

Just as the question left her lips, Luann brought their breakfast to the table, and Ana just assumed that Christian would use that as an excuse to dodge yet another one of her inquiries. While the egg white omelets stuffed with spinach and feta cheese and whole wheat toast buttered ever so lightly looked absolutely divine, Ana opted to pick at the small fruit salad between them.

"Why do you and Kate hate each other?" she repeated herself.

"Hate is an awfully strong word, Ana," he said. "But I think our sparring started about a year ago when she came home for the summer for some internship. She saw me at some party and wanted an interview - which I flatly refused."

"She doesn't take kindly to a negative response," Kate defended her best friend.

"And I don't take kindly to the media," he returned. "Nor will I tolerate self-starvation, Ana. Please, eat."

"The fruit is fine, Christian," she insisted. "Really, I'm not that hung-"

"Eat the omelet, Ana, and at least one slice of toast," he pushed. "Or I'll feed you myself."

Picking up her fork as if in challenge, she smiled. "Like that strawberry earlier this evening?"

"Oh, I'll make sure it's not quite so-" he stopped, smiling almost ruefully, "-decadent this time around, Miss Steele."

"So," Ana began, raising her eyebrows as she sliced into her breakfast, "want to tell me a little more about this - arrangement? - you have in mind?"

Christian's hesitation was evident, and silence bore into their conversation ash he crossed his hands in front of him to rest his chin and snaked his fingers through his hair. Ana couldn't read the complexities that crossed his face. Perhaps the mercury was rising once again. Maybe he was angry. She just didn't know, and she didn't have the energy after their long evening to try to discern his current mood.

"Ana, I'm not going to mince words here," he answered. "I have very specific - very dark - needs. And right now, while I'm absolutely entranced by you, I'm not so sure that you're up for my challenge."

His words only served to further confuse her. One minute he was being so attentive, dancing with her in his protective arms, then hinting around to an ulterior, clandestine side the next.

Ana's lips pursed, revealing her frustration with his avoidance of the issue at hand. "Why don't you explain yourself to me then, Christian?"

"I will, Ana," he assured her. "Shortly."

"Tell me the truth," she continued. "Is this the last time you plan on seeing me?"

"No..." He shook his head almost violently in response. "No way..."

"Then why can't you just talk to me?" she implored, her big blue eyes widening in a desperate plea.

"Because it's very late, and I've had a lovely time with you this evening," he reached out and took her hand for a quick squeeze, slipping back to sweet Christian once more, "and I need more time to explain things than we have right now."

Mitigated yet again by his fluctuating mood, she felt forced to allow him to drop the conversation. There was so much beneath the carefully publicized surface of one Christian Grey, and Ana was determined now more than ever to dig deep into the core. If for no other reason that to uncover whatever secrets he was hiding, she'd already decided that she wanted to pursue this dalliance as far as he would allow her to go.

"What if I promise we'll talk about it a bit tomorrow?" he said, taking her aback by his suggestion.

Tensions - sexual and otherwise - ran thickly between them, and Ana remained acutely aware of his hand touching hers. "You'll call me?" she asked.

"No, I'll see you," he said. "I'll pick you up at noon, given that we've had a rather unexpectedly late night. I do want you to get your rest."

"Noon, it is," she agreed.

"Now, if you plan on getting any sleep, you'd better take a few more bites, Ana," he warned. "I'll sit here all night with you if I have to. And I won't be happy by the time I take you home."

Biting into her now cold slice of toast, she continued to watch him carefully, her eyes solemnly staring into his silvery gaze as she made one last attempt to try to put this puzzle together for the evening.

Before they'd left, Ana did manage to eat nearly half of her omelet, which seemed to calm him down for the drive across Central Park to her apartment. They didn't speak much in that time, but Ana was already preparing herself for an interrogation when she saw him again in just a few hours.

As the car came to a stop just in front of Kate's building, Christian took her hand again and brought it to his lips for one single chaste, if not reverent kiss, then helped her out of the car and to the revolving door. Once in the lobby, he followed her to the elevator bank, then turned her to face him.

"I'd invite you in, but I'm pretty sure Kate is sleeping," Ana said, hoping he wouldn't notice the undertones of a lie in her voice. She knew damn well that Kate was sitting on the edge of the couch, white knuckled and waiting to hear every last detail.

"Sleep well, Anastasia," he said, leaving one last quick kiss on her cheek.

After she stepped into the elevator, alone for a brief respite before facing Kate, Ana fell against the wall, touching her hand to her face.

Regardless of his intentions, Christian Grey knew how to make a girl feel weak.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter Eight**_  
"He took you to a _diner_?" Kate nearly tumbled off the corner of Ana's bed, her mouth open in mock horror. "Ana, he's a billionaire...and he took you to a _diner_?"

"Kate, did you miss the part about the Empire State Building? How he bought out the entire observation deck for the night just for the two of us?" Ana quipped as she slipped her pajama bottoms over her legs. "And as for the diner, I think he just wanted to show me a little taste of New York, if you will - show me how the locals live. I also think you just want to be critical."

Fanning herself with her hand, Kate fell back on Ana's bed. "Heavens, Lord, please find me a Christian Grey to take me out for fancy dinners on the town. What's he got planned for tomorrow, Ana? Starbuck's? And maybe a stroll through Madame Tussauds? Because that's how real New Yorkers spend their Sunday afternoons, you know...caught in tourist traps."

Taking one of her new throw pillows in her hand, Ana pitched it at Kate, striking her aim at Kate's stomach. "Katherine Agnes Kavanagh..."

"OK, Ana - OK!" Kate relented, then sat up as Ana crawled under the covers. However, Kate refused to take the hint to leave. "So what else happened? Did he kiss you?"

That flush of Ana's face, even in the dim light of the bedroom, always revealed everything Kate needed to know.

"Oh, my God, he did!" Kate squealed, kicking her legs in the air like an excited toddler. "Christian Grey kissed you!"

"I need to go to bed, Kate - he's picking me up at noon...which is just right around the corner," Ana said. "I'll tell you more in the morning."

"He kissed you _and_ you're seeing him again tomorrow?" she rolled on her stomach to face Ana. "And you're telling me - your best friend in the entire galaxy - that you're just going to go to sleep?"

Playfully, Ana pushed at Kate's hip with her foot, nudging her roommate to the edge of the bed. "Yes, Kate. And you should go to sleep, too. Now, good night."

With one quick flick, Ana turned the light out.

"Oh, will you stop?" Ana chuckled as she prepared her first cup of tea for the morning. Glancing at the clock in the tiny strip of a galley kitchen, she couldn't believe that it was only eight-fifteen, which meant that she'd had less than four hours of sleep.

"When your best friend goes on a real date for the first time in the entire four years that you've known her, your mind races like a crazy woman," Kate explained. "Add to that the fact that the suitor is New York's most unattainable confirmed bachelor, and...Ana, I can't contain myself!"

Ana raised her finger, and pointed at Kate like a naughty child. "I just hope this doesn't end up in your column, Miss Kavanagh..."

"Oh, it's delicious gossip," Kate giggled, "but my allegiance is with you, old friend."

"Good," Ana said, taking a sip from her steaming cup. "I know he takes great measures to protect his privacy."

"Are you ever going to tell me about that kiss?" Kate leaned over the tiny round dining table, forcing Kate to look her in the eyes. "Or are you just going to leave me hanging forever?"

"Kate, I don't..."

Much to Ana's relief, the doorman rang their apartment. For a split second, panic settled over her. She hoped Christian wasn't waiting in the lobby to pick her up - he'd told her noon, and she desperately needed the time to prepare, both physically and emotionally, for their next adventure.

"Oh," Kate spoke into the phone, unable to hide her own disappointment. "I'll send her downstairs..."

"What?" Ana swore her face drained of all color as she envisioned Christian standing in the lobby, looking as perfect as ever, while she slipped out of the elevator to greet him with a muss of sleep-sloppy hair and wearing her old ratty pajamas.

"I swear, Steele, you've been here for three days, and you've received more packages than I have in a month!"

"A package?" Ana repeated. "For me?"

"Go get it, Steele!" Kate ordered. "Curiosity over your newly discovered life in this town is starting to kill me here..."

Racing out the door, Ana hadn't even bothered with shoes. The wait for the elevator seemed endless, and she tapped continuously at the call button, wondering what awaited her in the lobby now.

She didn't have to question the sender - she recognized the elaborate script and the same fine, heavy envelope from the previous afternoon. By the time she'd made it back upstairs, she'd read the card three times.

_The skyline seemed a little brighter last night_  
_with you to share the view._  
_Regards,_  
_CG_

When her phone began to ring, she sighed with frustration. Never had she had so much activity spinning around her little world before nine o'clock on a Sunday morning. She didn't recognize the number, but she thought she should answer.

"So you got the package, Miss Steele," Christian's voice was quick and clear over the line.

Ana was about to ask how he'd managed to get her cell phone number, but then she laughed to herself, remembering his extensive background check. Of course, he knew how to reach her.

"But I'd appreciate it if from now on if you'd cover up your pajamas before heading into the public lobby of your building," he continued before she even had the chance to greet him. "That's very inappropriate of you..."

Who knew, after his behavior last night, that Christian Grey could be such a prude, Ana mused.

He'd obviously made connections with the staff in the building as well. There was nothing that he allowed to slip past him - at least, as she was discovering, nothing that concerned her.

However, before Ana had the chance to speak - to thank him for whatever was inside the exquisitely wrapped box, or to curse him for being so intrusive and bossy - he said, "Open the package and get back to me immediately, Ana. I'll be waiting to hear from you."

Mouth gaping, Ana looked at Kate who was about to pounce with her next set of questions, but all Ana could do was throw her arms in the air.

"I need a minute," Ana said, heading back to her room with the package in her hands. After closing her door, she slumped down to her bed, covers still rumpled from her slumber, and carefully pealed away the wrapping.

An iPad. Christian bought her an iPad.

Ana wasn't sure whether she should jump for joy, or toss it against the wall. This was an awfully expensive gift after just one single date. She knew he could afford to buy thousands of them, but the point of his gesture left her flummoxed again.

Scrolling through the applications, she'd noticed that he'd included an entire music library, which of course included the entire catalog of Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music. Tapping her finger against "Slave to Love," she decided to look at her e-mail, knowing that there would likely be a missive from Christian Grey.

_**From: Christian Grey**_  
_**Subject: About Last Night...**_  
_**Date: June 9, 2013, 06:23**_  
_**To: Anastasia Steele**_

_Miss Steele,_

_I just wanted to thank you for the wonderful evening, and to let you know that I'm very much looking forward to seeing you this afternoon._

_Meanwhile, do enjoy this gift - it's practical for both work and for my efforts to keep tabs on you._

_I hope you managed to get some sleep. Meet you in the lobby at noon._

_Christian Grey_  
_CEO, Grey Enterprise Holdings, Inc._

Ana smiled, almost peevishly, and set out to compose her reply.

_**From: Anastasia Steele**_  
_**Subject: Sleepless in Manhattan**_  
_**Date: June 9, 2013, 08:49**_  
_**To: Christian Grey**_

_Mr. Grey,_

_It is I who should thank you for both the gift and the surprises last night. You certainly know how to keep a girl on her toes!_

_Looking forward to seeing you this afternoon - I hope you don't tire too quickly of me._

_Impatiently yours,_  
_AS_  
_Anastasia Steele_  
_PS Duly noted: I will not carouse through my lobby in my pajamas. Ever. Again._

"Ana," Kate said, rapping not so gently at the door. "What are you doing in there?"

A huge smile spreading across her face, Ana threw open the door and held her gift up for Kate to see. "Playing around with my new iPad!"

"Seriously - roses yesterday...an iPad today..." Kate said, her grin matching that of Ana's, "Does this guy have a brother, and can you please make an introduction?"

"I thought you said he was an asshole, Kate?" Ana reminded her.

"Well, he's adopted, so his brother may be perfectly charming," Kate retorted, then hesitated for a moment before she continued. "So Ana...I've resigned myself to protect your privacy, and I'll stop hounding you about that kiss. For now at least. But I do want to know what this man's got planned for you today."

"Honestly, Kate, I have no idea," Ana said and wondered herself what might unfold. He'd promised they'd talk about what he expected from their so called "arrangement," and she hoped he wouldn't dodge the subject as he had just hours before.

So sensitive to Ana's every mood and concern, Kate squeezed her shoulder. "You OK there, Steele? Things got quiet for a moment..."

"Oh, I'm fine," Ana insisted. "Just thinking about what I should wear when I have no idea where we're going."

"Have no fear - Kavanagh is here!" she said, helping herself to access Ana's closet.

Ana bit her lip as a ping from her iPad indicated a new e-mail. She already knew who it was from. Quicker than a lightening bolt, Kate spun on her heels to face Ana.

"That's what you were doing in here!" she giggled and raised an accusatory finger at Ana. "You were in here, e-mailing away with Grey, weren't ya, Steele?"

Shielding her face with her iPad in mocked shame, Ana cried, "Guilty!"

"Have at it, girlfriend," Kate said, returning her attention to Ana's wardrobe. "I've got an outfit to put together for you."

_**From: Christian Grey**_  
_**Subject: Well, Wake Up, Sleepyhead!**_  
_**Date: June 9, 2013, 09:01**_  
_**To: Anastasia Steele**_

_Ana,_

_I'm sure you're aware that impatience is not a virtue. I was toying with the idea of dropping by at eleven, but I can wait until our originally scheduled time of noon to just to prove my point._

_I am, however, pleased with your apology for giving your doorman an explicit show this morning. Be aware that all eyes are upon you...all the time._

_Tiring of you is not an option. Looking forward to our afternoon together._

_Sincerely not Sleepy - even though someone kept me out half the night,_  
_CG_

_Christian Grey_  
_Equally Anxious...But Patient _  
_CEO, Grey Enterprise Holdings, Inc._

"Anastasia Rose! He's sexting you, isn't he?" Kate belted, as she attempted to crane her neck to read over Ana's shoulder. "You're as red as a dime store box of candy on Valentine's Day!"

"No, Kate," Ana chuckled. "There's no sexting going on. He's just...he's amusing, OK?"

"Amusing, I can handle," Kate said. "But if that billionaire even thinks of breaking my best friend's heart, so help me, I'll take him and his chiseled body down with my bare hands."

A warm smile curled on Ana's lips and she opened her arms to Kate. "I love you, Kate, like the sister I never had," she said, tightening the squeeze of her hug. "But maybe _I'll_ break _his_ heart - have you ever thought about that?"

With a devilish laugh, Kate fell back on the bed and erupted into a fit of cackling. "Oh, Ana...that would make my day - no, no, wait...it would make my _year_!" Pushing herself up again and returning to her post at Ana's closet, she laughed once more, then said, "Come on, heartbreaker. Let's make this billionaire quiver in his John Lobb shoes!"


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter Nine**_  
"You're early," Christian noted, as Ana stepped out of the elevator at eleven-fifty-eight that morning wearing a high-waisted red linen blouse with a simple pair of black crop pants and red leather ballerina flats. As he'd instructed the night before, she allowed her brown hair to flow about her shoulders, and Christian's approval was evident in his eyes. "I like that, Miss Steele. And you're looking lovely this afternoon."

She smiled at him and mumbled a shy note of thanks, all the while waiting to see if he'd kiss her...which he did not.

Today, Ana couldn't help but notice, Christian looked so very different than he did just hours before. Perhaps it was the jeans and navy blue Polo shirt or the mop of copper hair that was still damp from a shower that afforded him an air of relaxation. She was, so far, enjoying this playful side of the powerful CEO.

"So, I thought we'd picnic in Central Park this afternoon," Christian said, his hand on her back, guiding her out to the car.

Ana knew they were close enough to walk it from the apartment, but she didn't fight him - didn't want to upset his apple cart before she had the chance to talk to him about the "arrangement."

"Taking me into the forest, Mr. Grey?" she teased, her question reminiscent of his comment the night before.

With a smile, he buckled her in, chuckling as he pulled back to fasten his own seatbelt. "If you will, Miss Steele..."

Already, Ana could feel the tides rising again once he settled himself next to her and didn't bother to move his leg, which he held ever so casually still against her calf. Resisting the urge to bite her lip, she opted for the inner cheek of her mouth on the side that Christian couldn't see from his vantage point. She knew she had to keep a clear head. She needed to talk to him. However, all sense of lucidity seemed to float away in the warm summer breeze every time Christian Grey was near.

Taylor was driving again, and for a moment, Ana wondered if that poor man ever got the chance to sleep. She pondered just what sort of tyrant Christian must be as an employer. Certainly, he didn't build an empire in a mere seven years by being nice. And as she already knew, he had a very temperamental side. With a sigh, Ana only hoped this happy mood would endure the afternoon.

Christian was still smiling when the car stopped just short of the East 79th Street Transverse. After plucking the huge picnic basket from the trunk, he returned to retrieve Ana, and took her hand in his. "Ready for our next adventure, Miss Steele?"

"Lead the way, Mr. Grey..."

Following him through a small thicket of trees, Ana tried to casually glance around, clandestinely playing tourist for the afternoon. There were so many people on all sides, tossing Frisbees, chasing after toddlers, playing fetch with their dogs. Life was all around them, and abundantly so.

Christian chose a spot, only somewhat secluded, which surprised Ana. Perhaps she'd taken his teasing just a little too seriously, she thought as she watched his methodical placement of the picnic blanket.

Gesturing for Ana to join him, he began to set up for their brunch with chilled champagne, a selection of imported cheeses, plump grapes, and baguettes from what Christian noted was the finest French bakery in New York.

"Drink?" he asked, tipping the champagne bottle ever so carefully to eliminate the foam in the flute.

"Thank you, kind sir," Ana said, raising her glass to him. "And thank you again for the gift this morning. That wasn't necessary..."

"Actually, Ana," he began and took a sip before continuing, "it is necessary. I need a safe, private means to message you, and I don't want you e-mailing me from work. No one needs to know..."

"What do people not need to know, Christian?" she wondered out loud.

"I'm also working on getting you a new phone," he said, ignoring her question. "My tech team hasn't quite finished fitting all of the security measures yet, so..."

"What?" she cut him off. "I don't need a new phone. Please. I appreciate your sentiments, but this is all too much."

"You know, Ana, things are not going to work here unless you trust me," he said, his eyes filtering again with that chilly, icy stare. "I'm a very public person, trying desperately to live a very private life here. I need to make sure that we're both safe - that we're both covered on all fronts." Taking another swig from his glass - possibly for courage, Ana thought - he swallowed, then turned to face her once more. "That is...if you choose to stay."

"Christian, why do you keep saying things like that?" Ana asked without hesitation. "And how am I supposed to make any decisions when you refuse to open up to me?"

"Have another glass of champagne, Miss Steele," he suggested with a little too much nonchalance for Ana's current mood.

"I don't really want another glass just yet," she stood her ground. There was something so fierce yet fearful in his eyes - taciturn, even - but Ana refused to look away. For a moment, she thought that maybe she had chipped just a little bit away from his stone facade, and she realized that it was Christian who needed that extra shot of courage. "What I want is to know what's really on your mind this afternoon."

Running his fingers through his hair, Christian turned away for a moment. When turned to face her again, the ominous clouds raged in his eyes, directing Ana to run for shelter. However, she sat very still, refusing to falter.

"Ana, I'm very - fond - of you," he began, his voice almost tender - contradicting the foreboding look upon his face. "Obviously, I'm attracted to you, or I wouldn't be spending my weekend pursuing you."

"Keep talking, Grey," she said. "I'm listening."

"I told you that I'm not into hearts and flowers," he continued. "In fact, I want to be brutally honest with you this afternoon. I just don't do romance."

Drawing a deep breath into her lungs, Ana murmured, "Then why the lavish dates, Christian? Why the gifts?"

"Because there's something about you, Miss Steele," he said very simply, "and I can't seem to get you out of my head."

The second she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, Christian slipped his finger inside her mouth, tugging.

"You know that I've asked you not to do that," he reminded her.

"I'm sorry," she could barely speak, reeling from the mere touch of the tip of his finger.

"Anastasia, I have a very dark side," he warned. "I need to be in absolute control at all times - of my work, of my personal life..." He stopped once again, and closed his eyes, as if admitting that he couldn't look at her as he continued. "...of my sexuality..."

"In short," he said at last, and framed her face with his long, thin hands, "I need a woman who will submit to me - and accept that submission on all levels. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Ana's sigh stirred her entire body. She understood, but she didn't. She wanted to appear like a true woman of the world and assure him that she was game for anything...but too many questions raged inside her thoughts.

"You mean..." she spoke at last, "you want...a slave?"

He smiled and shook his head. "Not exactly, but I do have some exceedingly high standards. I consider it a Dominant/submissive arrangement."

Arrangement. There was that damn word again. She knew there were complexities to be discussed here, but she didn't like the fact that he made any sort of relationship they might embark on seem like another one of his damn business deals - so cold and distant.

All the while, however, she couldn't ignore her own intrigue from his proposition.

"I wouldn't expect you to give up on your career," he said. "I know that's extremely important to you. And I wouldn't dare intrude on you family time, or things of that nature. But I would keep tabs on you at all times, Anastasia. I'll need to know who you're with, what you're doing - when you're eating. And I'll expect you to be ready to explore my brand of sexuality. It's kinky. And it could be frightening for a novice. But I'd be willing to start slowly - train you, if you will - until you build a trust in me..."

"Christian, I-" she sputtered, "I just don't know what to-"

He placed his finger over her lips, the same finger that he'd just slipped inside her mouth only moments ago. "I don't expect an answer today," he said, "but I do want you to hear me out, Ana. And I want to explain a few things to you to help you make that decision." He searched her face for any hint of interest, but her blank look of shock left him feeling momentarily defeated. "Will you at least do that for me?"

Damn you, Rasputin Grey, she thought as she dropped her head in one slow, lingering, affirmative nod. "Yes," she whispered, her iron will collapsing under the heaviness of his plea. "Yes, Christian."

Reaching for her hand with obvious trepidation, Christian shifted for a moment, then said, "I know I've given you a lot to think about - and there's much more to come, Ana. I just don't want to string you along with promises I know I'm not capable of keeping," he said, pulsing her fingers with his own. "Right now, let's take a short break and enjoy this afternoon. I have something I want to show you later today."

He noticed Ana looking at the grapes, then turning her head away in disgust.

"Eat, Anastasia," he said. "You know that makes me insane when you refuse to eat."

"Christian, I'm really not hungry right now," she said. She didn't want to waste time snacking and chatting. She wanted to know more - to know every last detail of this...proposal. And she wanted to know immediately.

"I'm happy to force feed," he coaxed a tiny smile to her lips, then plucked a grape and held it to her open mouth. "Now, open up...or I'm going to get angry. And believe me, Miss Steele...you won't like me when I'm angry."


	10. Chapter 10

_**Chapter Ten**_  
Although Christian did his best to distract Anastasia, keeping the conversation light throughout their Sunday afternoon picnic in Central Park, focusing their idle chitchat instead on Ana's new life in the city, she couldn't shake the thoughts of their conversation from her mind.

Admittedly, she knew little about this so-called lifestyle, and she understood even less of this "arrangement" he'd suggested. Fear consumed her as images of whips and chains - and whatever other implements he used behind closed doors - flashed through her mind. However, there was a pang of unstoppable curiosity rising within that Ana just couldn't ignore.

Throughout her entire life, Anastasia had managed to create a safe little world. She'd surrounded herself with a small but trusted circle of friends and maintained a 4.0. She was that quintessential "good girl" on whom people relied without having to offer any showmanship for attention, unlike Kate often did. She lived her life on the straight and narrow, holding her focus and patience through almost any situation.

Now, this sudden curve-ball tossed into her lap by Christian Grey left her wondering about life outside that little box she'd carefully built around herself.

Perhaps, she reasoned, the lure of the unknown was so tempting. Ana wasn't one to step outside her own meticulously laid boundaries. This darkness into which Christian invited her stirred her imagination.

Certainly, there was an obvious attraction between them. In fact, Christian admitted as much himself. He awakened thoughts and feelings within Ana to which once she'd considered herself immune. He could elicit a gnawing hunger with the most delicate brush of his fingertip...and bring her to her knees with his soul destroying kiss. She couldn't walk away from this burgeoning passion so quickly...

...or could she?

Begrudgingly, Ana sampled the selection of fine foods, and tried her best to lead Christian to believe that she was actively participating in their chatter. She smiled. She laughed. She moved herself through the motions, all the while lying in wait for his next revelation.

It was around three o'clock when Christian finally suggested they pack up their lunch. Settled back into the car, Christian caressed the top of her hand. "Ana, I'd like to take you back to my place right now," he said, gauging her reaction.

"You said you had more to tell me," she said. "If you're willing to talk - to open up to me - I'll go."

"That's all I want from you right now - to talk," he clarified. Covering her hand with his, he lifted it to his lips, kissing so sweetly. "I promise you," he said. "I will tell you as much as you need to know."

"Let's go then," she agreed.

The lobby of Christian's apartment building filled Ana with a sense of surprise. Although lavishly appointed with fine French antiques, chandeliers and heavy silk fabrics, the space was small - nearly a quarter of the size of the entrance in Kate's building. He preferred the intimacy, Ana surmised, and the security of living somewhere less commercial. As he reminded her again and again, he had to guard his privacy.

And now, as the afternoon continued to unravel, Anastasia had begun to figure out why.

With a nod of formality, Christian greeted his doorman, whom Ana guessed was likely on the GEH payroll. For all she knew, Christian probably owned the entire building.

As he led her past the elevators, he turned quickly to Ana, continuing his quick stride. "There's a separate bank that will take us straight up to the penthouse," he explained. "It's used only by myself and my staff, and the passcode is changed regularly."

Ana wasn't sure why any of that information mattered, but she did wonder how many of his minions might be crawling around the place. She needed time alone with him - time to talk and time to make some decisions. And each second was growing more precious than the last.

One code for the elevator, which climbed a little too slowly to the thirty-fifth floor for Ana's tastes. Another for the hallway. One more for the front door. Clearly, she thought, Fort Knox had been moved to Manhattan's Upper West Side. All the while, she found her impatience rising. She just so desperately wanted to make it through this afternoon.

Not much to Ana's surprise, Christian's tastes were much more modern than her own classical sense of home design. The foyer and the great room beyond it were decorated in hues of blue and his trademark grey, with pops of black and white. Pop art from Warhol, Haring and others covered the steel blue colored walls. In the center of it all, a huge black leather sectional flanked the area surrounding the fireplace with its wall of slate tiles that climbed to the heights of the twenty-foot ceiling.

"Welcome, Anastasia," he said, motioning for her to take a seat on the couch. "What can I get you? Wine? Champagne?"

"No, thank you, Christian," she said. His presence alone played havoc with her ability to rationalize. She certainly didn't want to add alcohol to that concoction.

Ana just looked around, absorbing herself in this rare glimpse into the private life of Christian Grey. There were no traces of warmth - no family photos, personal mementos, collections. Everything was clean. Simple. And chilly. Just like the look she'd seen so many times in those beautiful and haunting eyes.

The floor to ceiling windows opened on to a grand terrace that boasted views of both the city and the Hudson River. Christian caught her wandering eyes. "Would you like to sit outside?" he suggested.

"That would be lovely," she said and allowed him to take her hand in his.

Everything Christian laid his hands on was pointedly construed to impress in one way or another, and this outdoor living room clearly had all of those intentions in mind. There was a second fireplace of stacked stone surrounded by a cozy seating area featuring a teak dais covered with cream colored overstuffed cushions, a dining area that seated at least a dozen people, and even a small garden of fresh vegetables and herbs. She wondered how often he actually entertained, and pondered who might have been on his guest lists...

Staring out at the city, with late afternoon slowly fading into evening, Ana found herself lost in the myths of Manhattan once again.

She could hear the gentle intake of his breath, as Christian stepped up behind her and settled his hands on her shoulders. "Not quite the Empire State Building, but it'll do for now..." he murmured against her ear.

"You know, Christian," she turned around and smiled at him, "you could have saved a lot of money and just brought me here..."

"Ah, but it's a memory," he said. "And a good one."

"Yes, it was indeed," Ana agreed, wondering if there would be more to come.

"Have a seat, Miss Steele," he directed her suddenly. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Back to business, Ana thought as she slumped down on the dais. His tender moments were too few and far between. It was only four in the afternoon, but she was exhausted, drained of all energy in her fight to keep up with the rise and fall of Mr. Mercury's moods. Perhaps, she thought, she should rethink that glass of wine.

When Christian returned with some sort of papers in his hand, he took the seat next to Ana and left little space between them, then swung his arm around the back of the couch, barely touching her. Ana chuckled to herself, wondering if this was how he handled all of his mergers and acquisitions.

"So, Miss Steele, here we are..." he said, carefully turning the pages over so as to cover the words from Ana's view. "I want to hash out a few legal concerns with you first here..."

"L-legal?" she stammered. "Is there something _illegal_ about what you've proposed?"

"No, Ana," he feathered his fingers through his hair once again, and chuckled softly. "You're so green to all of this. I need to remind myself to have some patience with you - to make sure you're properly taken care of at all times and at all costs."

Somehow his words always had a way with Ana's senses, and she dug her teeth into her bottom lip so hard that she'd hurt herself.

Christian's chest expanded significantly with the breath of absolute irritation that he pulled into his lungs. "That," he said, pointing a finger in her face, "is grounds for punishment herein, if you choose to stick around, Miss Steele. Got it?"

She nodded, but ever so slowly dragged her teeth over her mouth in her mocked effort to release.

"And you'll answer me properly when I ask you a question," he added. "Now, do you understand the consequences for lip biting?"

"Yes," she said, working up to her best only child pout.

"Yes, Sir," he corrected.

"Yes," she repeated, her own breathing wavering with his orders, "Sir..."

"Good girl..."

Those two words, she decided were both the reward...and quite possibly her undoing as well.

"Moving on, Miss Steele," he continued, and unveiled the papers with the shake of his hand. "This is a basic NDA, which I need you to sign-"

"May I interrupt you?" she questioned, then added for sport, "Sir?"

"What is it, Ana?"

"Would you please clue me in on what exactly an NDA is?"

"My bad," he shook his head. "I'm sorry, Ana - it's a Non-Disclosure Agreement. This is basically my insurance that you won't run to the press one day - and it serves to protect you as well."

Ana might have allowed him to lead her astray for a moment or two, but she wasn't about to fall into his complete thrall just yet. "Well, I'd like to read it before I put my signature anywhere," she insisted.

He smiled at her savvy nature. "I'd be angry if you didn't read it. Might be grounds for further punishment." He passed her the papers, but held on to the pen. "Take all the time you need."

The language, although penned in legalese, was fairly simple to understand, which made a trip to an attorney of her own choosing unnecessary. She couldn't imagine having to step into a law office and explain her situation to a stranger. The terms were clear. Upon signing, she was bound to the promise that she wouldn't reveal the intimacies of their relationship - agreement - whatever Christian wanted to call it. In truth, Ana couldn't imagine herself being one to kiss and tell. She protected her own privacy too much.

"No questions, Ana?" he asked.

"So by signing," she asked, "I relinquish my right to sue you?"

"Yes..."

"What if I agree to this...arrangement - sexual arrangement, I mean - and I'm injured?" she pressed.

"I'll take the greatest caution not to harm you," he said, "And on the odd chance that would happen, I'll make absolutely certain you have the greatest care available. I have a doctor friend who is...quite discreet."

She was satisfied with his answer, but she wasn't about to stop there. "Have you ever hurt anyone before?"

Ana's eyes watched him closely as he winced. "Only once, Ana," he admitted. "Not long after I got into this lifestyle. Foolishly, I used a silk tie for bondage purposes...the knot slipped...she ended up bumping her head..."

She raised her hand to cover her open mouth. "Was she - alright?"

"It was a mild concussion," he said. "I sought medical treatment immediately, and she was fine. Does that satisfy you?"

Leaning in closer, Ana held on to her last shred of command in their discussion. "Any other accidents you'd like to mention?"

"There are none, Ana," he said. "Trust is the key to any play like this. And as you learn to trust me, you'll come to realize that I would never leave you in peril. But that's a bit of a way's off right now..."

"And if I don't trust you?" she countered.

"Then you're free to leave our arrangement."

Both options, for Ana, seemed rather dismal. While she shivered at the notion of facing injury simply for the sake of sex, the thought of never seeing Christian Grey again cluttered her burgeoning emotions with a pang of sadness.

Again, she allowed her imagination to take flight, and couldn't deny her own curiosities regarding just what he had in store for her. The promise of indoctrination into his bizarre and all-encompassing life, she had to admit, seemed so wickedly appealing to Ana's innocence.

"Look, if you decide to move forward with this," Christian said, the CEO returning once again, "we'll have measures in place to keep you safe - starting with _you._ We'll have safe words, and if you're in distress, you must use them. We'll negotiate your limits before we ever play. And I would never force a novice into a hardcore scene. I might be a sadist, but I also understand limits."

Although his rather light use of the word "sadist" struck her, Ana fell prey once again to his rhetoric. Christian was a world-class pitchman, capable of manipulating the thoughts and concerns of global business figures, so she wasn't too terribly surprised that he could work his prowess on little Anastasia Rose Steele.

Just for good measure, she looked over the document a second time, then held out her hand to Christian. "Pen, please, Sir?"

"You know what you're doing here, Miss Steele?"

"I understand fully what I'm about to contract to."

"Ana, one last thing here," he said. "I know Kate's your best friend, but she's still a reporter. Please don't breathe a word of any of this to her."

"Christian, if it comforts you at all," Ana began, "I refused to even tell her about our kiss the other night. I adore Kate, but I enjoy my privacy, too."

He touched his finger to her nose. "You really didn't tell her?'

"I gave her the basics," Ana said, "but I didn't reveal anything more than locations."

Passing her the pen, he smiled again. "Thank you..."

Scrawling her sloppy signature on the page, Ana dated the document, then returned it to Christian. "Do I get a copy?"

"Of course, you do, smart one," he said. "Now, I have another contract drawn -"

"A second contract?" she cut him off.

"It's actually not a legally binding contract, Ana," he explained. "It's a tool used in negotiation in a Dominant/submissive relationship."

Ana wondered when they'd graduated from "agreement" to "relationship" but she didn't bother to ask. Apparently, the terms were interchangeable - at least in Christian Grey's vernacular.

"May I see it?" she asked.

"Honestly-" Fingers racing through his hair once again, Christian closed his eyes while he searched for the right words. "I'm going to hold off on that for a few days. You don't know enough yet, and I don't want to terrify you. I want you to do some serious research on BDSM - and I want you to ask me questions, Anastasia. Then we'll revisit the contract and negotiations."

"You're being very reasonable for a sadist," Ana mused, prompting a smile on Christian's lips. "And I appreciate the patience."

"Ana, I want nothing more than for you to submit to me," he said, brushing his hand so very slowly up and down her arm until he saw the goose bumps rise on her pale skin. "But I'm very dark. I enjoy indulging in kink. And I want you to understand how serious this is before you agree to anything."

"You're already making a grand effort at seducing me, Mr. Grey," she said, hoping he didn't notice as she shifted slightly in her seat from the intensity of his oh so delicate touch.

"Well, I have one more diversion for you this afternoon before I send you home to do some thinking," he said. Pursing his lips, he turned his head away. He knew this might be the deal breaker.

"What is it, Christian?" she asked, her voice resounding with curiosity, desire...and a trace of fear. "What else do you need to tell me?"

"Come, Ana." Rising, he smoothed his palms over the soft denim covering the thickness of his thighs, then took her hand in his once more. "There's something I need to show you..."


	11. Chapter 11

_**Chapter Eleven**_  
Christian led her up the stairs to the second floor of the massive penthouse and down a long hallway, stopping short of the last door on the right. He slipped his hand into his back pocket, retrieved a key, and dangled it before Ana's eyes.

His demeanor shifted yet again, dragging Ana and her own fluctuating emotions with him in his midst. He stood taller, almost stiff with an unyielding air, then folded his arms. As he towered above her, those eyes deepened from a soft dove grey to stainless steel while he minded her every movement - the flutter of her eyelashes, the tremble of her lip that she longed to bite, the rise and fall of her breasts as she attempted to steady her ragged breathing.

"Should you choose to agree to my terms, Miss Steele, I want you to be well aware of where we'll be spending quite a bit of time," he said. "And I'll just remind you that you've signed the NDA. Understand?"

"Yes..." she gasped, then added quickly, "Sir."

"Good girl," he murmured, and tucked her hair behind her ear. "I think you're already enjoying yourself, Miss Steele..."

Reluctantly, she had to agree. What the hell is happening to me, she cried inside - demanding an answer from herself as she felt the flush of arousal burning every inch of skin beneath her casual clothes. He didn't even have to touch her to reduce her to a quivering puddle of jelly before his burning, brooding eyes.

Once more, she hoped - prayed - for one single kiss...but he turned and expertly shoved the key into the lock.

Immediately, Ana took note that this room looked like none of the others in the apartment. Her impression drifted to photos she'd seen of those old European libraries - grand in scale and paneled in mahogany. The heavy, deep red curtains that adorned the windows were drawn. There were armoires, dressers, fine handcrafted cabinets lining the walls - all conspicuously locked, she noted - but what caught her attention first was the giant four poster bed wrapped in luxurious crimson linens that dominated the scene.

Scents of eucalyptus, fresh mint, sandalwood and citrus mingled in the heady air, teasing her senses as she dared to take a closer look.

Her thoughts stilled then went blank as she took careful note of some sort of contraption hanging from the ceiling, a life-sized cross mounted to the wall, a curved lounger tucked in a far off corner.

Glancing beyond the obvious, Ana spotted the assortment of canes, whips and paddles varying in thickness displayed on the walls as most people would exhibit their fine art collections. Her eyes darted about. Her mouth was bone dry.

"Are you still with me, Ana?" he prompted at last, interrupting her inspection. "You're not saying anything..."

"I..." Flustered again, she turned to him, her eyes pleading for an explanation. "I'm not sure what to say..."

"This is my playroom..." he explained.

_Playroom_. The word almost made her giggle. Such an ironic term for such an scandalous space. More like The Red Room of Pain, she thought to herself.

"Will...you be...if I choose..." Her mind simply couldn't form a complete sentence with her consciousness consumed by a dangerous mix of panic and arousal. "You'll be doing these things to me?" she managed to cough out. "If I agree..."

"Certainly not everything at once," his voice soothed. "Some things we'll have to gradually work into our routine. Those canes certainly aren't for beginners. You need to learn how to embrace the pain as pleasure before we delve into caning."

"You're going to hurt me," she said at last, spinning on her heels to finally face him. "This is going to be painful..."

Fingers tangling into her chestnut tresses, he whispered, "Only as much as you feel you can tolerate...remember, Anastasia, you call the shots."

Courage building, she walked around in a circle, knowing not what she was looking at. There was just too much to take in.

"This is why you need to do your research, baby," he murmured. "And I want a full report by eleven this evening."

"Yes," she whispered. "Yes, Sir..."

"Have you seen enough for one afternoon?" he asked.

"Yes, Sir."

"Such a good girl..." After a pet on the head, his hand drifted through her silky chestnut locks, and all the while he held her conflicted gaze. "You're terrified of me, aren't you?"

However, Christian didn't wait for her answer. "But you've never been so turned on in your life, have you, Miss Steele?"

"No..." she squirmed - but not in fright - as his other hand slipped down her back to her waist.

He wrapped her long locks of hair around his hand and gave a gentle tug. "No, what, Miss Steele?"

"No, Sir..."

"Tell me what you want right now," he commanded.

"I want you to kiss me, please...Sir..." she groveled. "Please?"

"So polite, you are," he complemented, his tone almost patronizing. "You've been waiting so patiently all afternoon, haven't you? Perhaps I can accommodate..."

Brutally, Christian's lips seized Ana's, claming her soul with the driving force of his mouth, the clutch of his hands, the race of his breath breezing like a brushfire over her face and neck.

Ana moved against him, relying only on instinct, and wrapped her tiny hands around the all-encompassing strength of his biceps in a weak attempt to hold herself steady. She clung to his mouth with her own, realizing that she was only encouraging the precise manipulation of his lips and tongue. A tingle fluttered deep within her tummy, radiating over her nerves in spots she'd once deemed unimaginable.

Then, just as quickly as he'd moved in for this delicious assault, Christian threw his head back, separating their lips while continuing to hold her close as her tiny gasps for air echoed between them.

"Are you alright, Ana?" his asked, sincerity returning to his voice. "Are you feeling dizzy?"

"Yes, Christian..."

Folding her into his arms, he held her tightly as her labored attempts to breathe evened. His lips pressed against her temple then caressed over her hair, and his hands eased in perfect circles over her back, gentling her into a state of calm.

"OK, baby?" he asked once more.

Against the comfort of his chest, Ana could only nod.

"Come on, Anastasia, I think we've had enough in this room for today," he said, taking a step aside, but still holding on to her waist with one arm for support. "Change your mind about that glass of wine?"


	12. Chapter 12

_**Chapter Twelve**_  
"Now, Miss Steele, one last order of business," he said, passing her a glass of Merlot as she sat in the corner of his couch in the expansive great room. "What's your assignment for this evening?"

Eyeing him over the rim of her glass, Ana curled her lips, still pulsing from his kiss, around the delicate crystal. She took a sip, willing the wine to relax her. "I'm to research what we've discussed today and report back to you by eleven this evening."

"See, Ana," he joined her and tapped his own glass to hers, "you're learning already."

While his fingers played with her hair, twisting and brushing the thick strands, Ana mused over his turn of tenderness. She could easily admit that he was absolutely incorrigible, but she couldn't deny that he certainly kept things interesting. Thinking quickly, she decided to take advantage of the calm before the next storm and press him for more information.

"So, Mr. Grey, if I may be so brazen to ask..." she began.

Raising a curious eyebrow, he smiled playfully. "Yes, Miss Steele?"

"How many...uh...women...have been invited into the Red Room of Pain upstairs?"

"Red Room of Pain?" His laughter teased against her forehead as he nuzzled Ana with his nose. "Fifteen."

"_Fifteen_?" she blurted, hoping that she didn't spit a trickle of wine down the front of her shirt. Ana remained uncertain whether she thought that number was too low...or too high.

"Yes, baby."

"And how...exactly did you...meet these fifteen women?" she wondered. "At a charity event? Gallery opening? Did they all just sort of trip into your lap like I did?"

"Oh, Ana, none of them came into my life quite like you did," he said, his tone hinting toward regret. "You'd be both shocked and embarrassed if you only knew. There are many sordid places in this city to find what I crave."

"Sex clubs?" she questioned him. "Strip joints?"

"Private clubs, Miss Steele," he corrected. "Invitation only."

"And all of them signed the contracts?" Ana wanted to pat herself on the back for her own courage. "The fifteen?"

"Yes, they did..." he nodded thoughtfully. "The paperwork is rather standard in the lifestyle, Ana. You'll confirm that this evening with your research."

"And," she took another sip before continuing, rather enjoying this inquisition, "do these - ahem - clubs have any resemblance to your Red Room of Pain?"

"You amuse me, Miss Steel," he murmured. "Your innocence is quite refreshing."

"Likewise, you intrigue me, Mr. Grey," she returned, "with the trappings of your secret little world."

"Ana, Ana, Ana...I am so f***ed up," he said, his voice boiling with pain and apology. "Fifty shades of f***ed up."

A sadness, so evident in his words, captured Ana's full attention. Slowly, as Christian revealed himself, she was coming to realize that there were moments when his own self-deprecation consumed him; hence, he constructed walls of granite around himself for protection. However, he allowed that facade to crack for a fleeting moment under Ana's watch.

Her heart stopped for just a brief moment. "Should I run?" Deep within her conscience, she knew she didn't want to flee his complex world just yet.

Christian could clearly hear the hesitant undertones of sincerity in her question. "If you do, I will find you, Anastasia Steele," he warned. "And when I do..." As he leaned closer, he took both her glass and his and placed them on the coffee table. "...it won't be pleasant for you..."

Ana's eyelids fluttered closed as his lips touched hers yet again, this time with a delicate caress that coaxed her mouth to open, and she succumbed to his gentle push of his fingers against her shoulders, encouraging her to rest on the stack of throw pillows behind her. The tickling kisses he trailed over her eyes, cheeks and neck incited yet another wave of yearning within Ana. Boldly, she allowed her fingers to creep through his hair.

Guttural was his groan against her ear as he pressed even closer, nearly covering her with his entire body. She could hear his swallow and the drawn out intake of his breath...just as his fingers played at the hem of her shirt, teasing as they crawled higher before stopping at the waistband of her pants.

Ana hoped he wouldn't notice her tense, but she refused to open her eyes to see his reaction. Holding her breath, she awaited his next move, wondering where his hands would roam.

However, she quickly realized it wasn't the work of those skillful hands that she had to worry about...it was his mouth, lapping and nipping at the base of her neck, tickling a soft moan from her lips in their travels.

"Christian," she breathed his name.

"Ana, baby," his voice was so very tender as he kissed her ear, "Oh, Ana...we have to stop..."

Slowly, Ana opened her eyes, only to watch him pull away once more. Digging his fingers into his hairline, he shook his head, then turned to face away from her.

"Christian?" she managed, still lounging back on the pillows. "Christian, what is it? Are you OK?"

Bewilderment shadowed his face once he finally turned to look her in the eyes. Ana wasn't sure if he was smiling or angry.

"I've never done that before," he said suddenly, embarrassed by his own admission.

"Done what?" she tried to smile herself to ease this awkward moment.

"Just made out with someone on a couch like this..." he confided. "This is...Ana..."

"Never?" she asked, unable to mask her incredulity over his claim.

"Ana, I..." he attempted to explain, but couldn't find his words. "I don't play like this. It's...it's too close to..."

"Hearts and flowers?" she finished his sentence for him.

"Yeah." He stood up, taking his glass of wine with him. "Yeah..."

He began to pace aimlessly around the massive room, leaving Ana alone on the couch. However, she didn't feel the least bit rejected by his reaction. In fact, she wanted to burst into a collapsing fit of giggles. For the first time, Ana realized that he was positively Fifty Shades of Flustered.

Struggling to stand, she pushed herself up from her comfortable spot on the sofa and crossed the room to where Christian continued his stroll between the wall of windows and the baby grand piano. All the while, she remained so careful to mind his heeding words from the night before, allowing a short distance between them to eliminate her temptation to touch him.

The thought crossed her mind that maybe he wanted her to leave, but there was something so frantic about his behavior that made her want to stay and comfort him. However, she knew that he'd thwart any efforts she made at consolation.

"Do you play?" she finally asked, struggling for a diversion.

The softness of Ana's voice stopped Christian in his tracks, and he looked at her finally, raising a quizzical brow. She nodded toward the piano.

"Inquisitive little thing you are this afternoon, aren't you?" His sigh bore his frustrations. "Of course, I play."

"I'd love to hear you some day."

"I've actually never played for..." He turned away. "I _don't_ play...for any of my submissives, Ana."

Shot down again, Ana slumped her shoulders. After his grand display of raw emotion on the couch, he had to show her who was in charge by shoving her aside once again. Yes, he was indeed fifty shades of f***ed up, but Ana knew now wasn't the time to inquire further.

"I should probably get home," Ana suggested, drawing his attention back to her. "I have a research project I need to get working on..."

"So you do..." He took her hands in his. His thumb traced her knuckle. "I really hope you enjoyed today - and I hope I didn't scare you away for good."

Ana shook her head. "Not yet..."

Christian drew in an exasperated breath, then released her hands. "Keep an open mind tonight, Anastasia," he said. "Promise me..."

"I promise you that, Christian."

"I'm sure I'll see you at some point tomorrow," he began, "but for now, I'll have Taylor take you home."

"I can get a cab..."

"No, Ana, Taylor will drive you to your door," he insisted. "E-mail me tonight - by eleven."

"Will do," she said. There was simply no point in arguing him. Christian only played to win.

"Thank you again, Ana, for another fantastic afternoon..." His lips quickly pecked her temple.

"No," she smiled, "thank you, kind Sir."


	13. Chapter 13

_**Chapter Thirteen**_  
Time was ticking so rapidly away as Ana's fingers slipped over the touch screen of her iPad, racing against the proverbial clock as she tapped at the letters "B," "D," "S" and "M." Kate left the air conditioner running when she'd left for yet another social event, but it did nothing to keep Ana cool that evening. She was just thankful for some alone time to complete her assignment within the confines of her cozy little bedroom.

She'd attempted to shrug off her earlier conundrum - at least for the moment - but the sadness that was so evident in Christian's eyes just hours earlier continued to haunt her. He could be so calculating, even downright crass at times, yet once he released his grip on the darkness that seemed to overshadow his every move, he was charming and witty and all consumed with concern. There was something so tortuous lingering in his life, and her heart swelled with pity over the demons he'd attempted to bury beneath his imperious persona.

With a sigh, she knew there was nothing she could do for the moment and refocused her attention back to the matter at hand. Christian had a way of keeping her busy even when they were apart.

While waiting for the page to load, Ana scrambled to remember the vocabulary Christian so freely tossed around that afternoon. Negotiations. Safewords. Kink. She wondered if she could cheat a little on her research and just download a copy of _BDSM for Dummies_ - if that even existed. Certainly, she hoped, he didn't expect her to become an expert in one evening...

"**_Oh_**..." she said, her lips forming one perfect circle as she dared to click on the images, "..._**my**_!"

Laughing at her own naiveté, Ana never imagined that the Internet was quite so explicit. Most of the time, she just hung out on her favorite literary blogs, arguing character motivation with like-minded bookworms from across the globe. Clearly, she had sheltered herself in the realm of academia, indulging in the romance of Jane Austen, or the melodrama of Charlotte Bronte.

Searching for sex on a Sunday evening was something that never - ever - crossed the mind of Anastasia Steele. Until she met Christian Grey.

Reaching for her cup of tea on her nightstand, she settled back on the stack of pillows behind her, balancing her iPad on her knees, and set out to take some serious notes.

###

_**From: Anastasia Steele**_  
_**Subject: Today/Research/Fifty Shades of WTH?**_  
_**Date: June 9, 2013, 23:01**_  
_**To: Christian Grey**_

_Dear Mr. Grey,_

_First off, thank you for your hospitality once again this afternoon. You certainly know how to plan the perfect picnic._

_As promised, I've been compiling my research. I now understand the intent behind safeword usage, the underlying principle of hard and soft limits, the importance of negotiation and the difference between Top and bottom._

_However, kind Sir, I do have some concerns._

_A Google Image search returned countless pages of photos featuring contortions and contraptions, cables and...cages! While you have done an extraordinary job of assuring me that I ultimately have the final say in negotiation, I find it important to note that none of the women in the photos looked remotely happy - let alone sexually aroused._

_From there, I turned to the Wikipedia entry for this matter as a guide. Much to my own gratitude, the photos were a softer core of porn than the previous set. While I found both the dictionary of terms and the equipment list enlightening, the discussions of "parties" and multiple partners filled me with disgust._

_If I may, kind Sir, I would like to discuss those points in regard to hard limits, should we take this conversation further._

_I may also have some specific questions about toys, which, until two hours ago, I had assumed were merely objects designed to occupy children._

_Your tutelage will be most appreciated should we move forward in this arrangement._

_I hope this brief rundown of my initial thoughts will satisfy my research project for this evening. I shall close for now, as I believe I have had one too many "endorphin rushes" for one day._

_Frightened, but not quite Forlorn,_  
_AS_

By the time she'd finished the e-mail and hit send, Ana, wallowing in her own chagrin, realized that her first foray into porn and kink had actually kindled a bit of desire.

She knew there was no point in trying to sleep. She was far too anxious to receive Christian's reply. Given his moods that afternoon, she had no idea what to expect from him.  
As she often did, Ana decided to retreat to her greatest escape and downloaded some classic novels she'd uncovered in her research that evening.

When that now familiar chime rang, her fingers rushed to open her e-mail.

_**From: Christian Grey**_  
_**Subject: Today/Google Images/Fifty Shades of OMG!**_  
_**Date: June 9, 2013, 23:29**_  
_**To: Anastasia Steele**_

_Dear Frightened,_

_You should be. Your e-mail arrived exactly one minute past my deadline. We shall, however, deal with your indiscretion at a later time._

_I, too, had a wonderful time with you today, Miss Steele. Even more, I'm thrilled that you didn't run away from my Red Room of Pain._

_First, I'd like to commend you for taking your assignment so seriously. Your efforts have pleased me, and I will be happy to discuss any questions you may have in the coming days._

_I'm also delighted that you, in spite of those paining photos and talk of orgies, have composed such a thoughtful e-mail. Again, Miss Steele, please be assured that you will be in control at all times, and I will start slowly with your introduction to this lifestyle._

_As for multiple partners, you have nothing to worry about. If you so choose to submit to me, you will be __**all mine**__. I refuse to share you with anyone. Period._

_Also, you've catered to my own inner-child with your curiosity over toys. I'm more than happy to spoil you with playthings. Perhaps we'll even set up your own monogrammed toy chest in the Red Room of Pain._

_My only hope is that you'll keep an open mind if we move forward. Some suggestions that make you cringe right now may bring you great pleasure in the future._

_Now please rest up, as we've had a very long weekend. Don't stay up all night reading __**The Story of O.**_

_Sweet Dreams,_  
_CG_  
_Christian Grey_  
_CEO, Grey Enterprise Holdings, Inc._  
_PS Nice use of the phrase "endorphin rush."_  
_PPS I will see you tomorrow._

Oh, damn his Fifty Shades of Rasputin!, Ana screamed inside. She could have easily stayed up all night, e-mailing back and forth with this playful side of Christian's multi-faceted personality.

However, he did have a company to run, and she wanted to send him one last note before he turned in for the night.

_**From: Anastasia Steele**_  
_**Subject: Sweet Dreams Are Made of This...**_  
_**Date: June 9, 2013, 23:45**_  
_**To: Christian Grey**_

_Kind Sir,_

_Thank you for your prompt response and attention to all of my concerns. I do apologize for the minute delay, and I hope you will accept my sincerest regrets in my error._

_You have alleviated several of my concerns, and I'm looking forward to further discussions with you about the aforementioned matters._

_I'm also looking forward to seeing you on the morrow._

_Too wired to be tired,_  
_AS_  
_Anastasia Steele_  
_PS How did you know that I'm reading __**The Story of O**__._

When she didn't receive a response right away, she'd just assumed that Christian had gone to sleep and decided that she should probably make an effort to do the same. O could wait until the morning after Kate left for work.

She slipped along to the bathroom to brush her teeth, and smiled a wide-mouthed grin at herself in the mirror. Perhaps this Christian Grey guy was making her happy. Absolutely confounded by his vacillating manners...but happy.

Upon her return to the bedroom, she clicked off the light...only to be alerted to one last e-mail.

_**From: Christian Grey**_  
_**Subject: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil**_  
_**Date: June 10, 2013, 00:01**_  
_**To: Anastasia Steele**_

_Dearest Miss Steele,_

_The application loaded on your iPad through which you can download books is attached to my credit card. I am alerted via e-mail to all purchases made, and I was pleased to see your reading selections for this evening. __**The Story of O**__ is the perfect read for you right now._

_Now, note the time, baby._

**_GO. TO. BED._**

_Until tomorrow,_  
_CG_  
_Christian Grey_  
_Cranky CEO, Grey Enterprise Holdings, Inc._

Ana couldn't resist one last e-mail before she dropped her head to the pillow, and quickly tapped out her reply.

_**From: Anastasia Steele**_  
_**Subject: The Story of A**_  
_**Date: June 10, 2013, 00:05**_  
_**To: Christian Grey**_

_Dear Cranky,_

_Good night._

_AS_  
_Anastasia Steele_


	14. Chapter 14

_**Chapter Fourteen**_  
"I've been scooped!" Kate bellowed as she flung her tall frame into Ana's bed the following morning, rocketing Ana from a not so deep slumber. "_Scooped_, dammit!"

Vaguely, Ana thought she heard her phone ring - several times, in fact - but she fully intended to indulge in her last days of freedom and simply ignored the calls. Without bothering to open her eyes, she reached out to grab her phone from the nightstand, and hoped that Kate would just go make some breakfast.

"Ana, get up - get out of bed!" she demanded. "You made Page Six!"

An unavoidable groan left Ana's lips. While she wanted nothing more than to pull her pillow over her head and hide from the show of hysterics from her best friend, she opened one eye, wondering what the hell was so urgent...and pondering the importance of whatever Page Six was.

Relenting, she forced herself to sit and glared at Kate with ice blue eyes. "Care to explain this little outburst?" She glanced at her phone to check the time. It wasn't even eight a.m., but her life had somehow catapulted fast and furiously into full swing.

"Look!" Kate held up a copy of the morning edition of the _New York Post_. "You and that beguiling billionaire are featured in today's Page Six column! There's a photo."

"Oh, noooooooo..." Ana winced and fell back on her pillows. Now, she was relatively certain that there were several messages from Christian awaiting her reply. Grabbing the newspaper from Kate's clutches, squinted her eyes and exhaled through her gritted teeth.

Oh, the power of a telescopic lens, Ana thought as she stared at the full-color page with a close-up shot of yesterday's picnic, captured right at the moment when Christian decided to pull her lip from the clutches of her teeth.

"'_Grey Ain't Gay!_'" Kate squealed. "Don't you just love the headline? Oh, I wish I would have written it myself!"

"Um, no," she spat and pushed the paper aside. So acutely aware of her heart thudding and throbbing in her chest, Ana thought she just might throw up. This simply couldn't be happening. "Damn!"

"Ana, what's wrong?" Kate asked, her tone so light as if this simply wasn't a problem. "They didn't even name you!"

"Please, Kate, I need a few minutes alone-" When her phone began to ring once again in the palm of her hand, Ana began to tremble. It wasn't Christian. The call was coming from Remington Publishing. She hoped she hadn't lost her job before it even began just because of a stupid photograph in the newspaper. "Go. Now." Ana pointed to the door. "It's my new boss!"

"Oh, no, Ana..." Kate raised her hand to her open mouth, then held her crossed fingers in the air before mouthing, "Come talk to me when you're finished..."

"This is Anastasia," she answered the second Kate closed her bedroom door.

"Anastasia, good morning," Elena's cool voice carried over the line. "Listen, I know you're not scheduled to start until next Tuesday, but I need you to come in today - eleven?"

While Elena had made her request in the form of a question, Ana knew immediately that it was a demand. "Of course, I can be there," Ana said quickly. "Is there-"

"See you then, Anastasia." The line went dead, and Ana felt her heart sink to the floor while her stomach continued to turn somersaults. No, she wasn't named in the caption, but Ana was certain that someone at Remington must have seen that photo in the paper. She couldn't - wouldn't - lose this job. Her entire life at the moment depended upon it.

But she refused to let this curveball strike her out. Perhaps this was all just some great coincidence. Maybe they just needed her to fill out additional paperwork before her first day, she rationalized.

However, she didn't have time to ponder the repercussions. Christian was calling...and she hadn't even bothered to check her messages.

"What the hell was that all about, Anastasia?" he thundered before she could even say good morning. "Does your roommate have anything to do with this?"

"Christian, I-"

"Anastasia, this photo is now all over the internet," he spat. "I wanted to keep this quiet - private. At least for now. But suddenly we seem to be the gossip item of the day."

"Will you-"

"Did you tell her where we were going yesterday?" he continued to ramble. "So help me, if Kavanagh tipped off the damn paparazzi, I'll-"

"Christian, stop it! Right now!" she screamed, then stopped herself from saying anything more until she lowered her voice. She could only hope that the walls were thick in this apartment. "Listen to yourself - I didn't even know where we were going yesterday! How could Kate possibly have her hand in this? You need to take a deep breath and calm the hell down because I do not deserve to be spoken to like that - especially first thing in the morning."

"Ana," his voice, too, took on a softer tone, "I-"

"No, Mr. Grey, listen to me for a minute here," she demanded. "I have an unexpected meeting at Remington this morning at eleven, and I can only hope that they don't decide to rescind their job offer because of this damn photo. When I'm finished - if I'm in the mood - I'll be happy to discuss this like two adults. But right now, I need to get ready."

"I'm sorry, Ana," he whispered. "I lost my..."

"You lost my patience, Christian..."


	15. Chapter 15

_**Chapter Fifteen**_  
Knotted fingers twisting her lap, Ana couldn't help but to bite her lip as she sat so very tall and straight in the now familiar reception area of Remington Publishing. Over and over, she ran the scenarios through her mind, and none of them fared for her benefit. She vividly imagined Elena, standing over her like a teacher scolding a small child for carousing about town with playboys and reminding her that Remington simply didn't tolerate that sort of behavior from its employees.

Christian had called, e-mailed and texted too many times for Ana to even count, but she refused to return a single message. She had her own realities to deal with, and she had to remain calm regardless of the outcome.

Twenty minutes had already passed, and with every second, Ana's anxieties escalated. However, if she lost this job, she'd simply just have to find another. She couldn't allow one bad experience to shatter her dreams, especially when she already had the impression that Elena could be quite the tyrant.

When Jillian stepped out to greet Ana, she was all smiles once again. Briefly, Ana wondered if she'd be able to muster that same demeanor when - and if - she started working for Elena.

"Welcome back, Anastasia," she said, and pumped Ana's shaky hand. "Elena's ready for you now."

"Thank you, Jillian," she managed to say. "It's good to see you again."

Back turned to the door to her office, Elena sat at her desk in her usual black designer uniform, barking commands into the phone she clutched between her shoulder and her ear. "What do you mean you can't cut the check for the advance?"

Hesitating, Ana bit her lip again, and stood just outside the door to give Elena some privacy to finish her call.

"Well, you better find out, and you have ten minutes..." As she spun around in her desk chair, Elena called out, "Jillian, where's Anastasia?"

"Right here," Ana spoke up and poked her head inside the door with a smile. "I'm here, Elena."

"Well, come in," Elena said. "I'm a very busy woman here, and I don't have all day."

Tentatively, Ana moved toward the black leather chair facing Elena and took a seat. Knowing not what else to do in this awkward situation, Ana smiled again.

"Now, Anastasia, the reason I have you here right now..." Elena's lengthy pause was purposeful. She sat, eyeing Ana from head to toe then back up again, with her lips pursed all the while. When her phone rang suddenly, a wicked grin curled on her thin, pink lips. "Oh, I _must_ answer this..."

Ana wondered how long she could freeze her smile before it melted all over Elena's glass and chrome desk.

"Of course, Grace, I'd never miss one of your parties," Elena cooed. "Do send me all the details. And consider this my acceptance for your RSVP list. Bye for now, darling."

Returning the phone to its cradle and her attention to Ana, Elena folded her hands on the desk in front of her. "Now, getting back to our conversation," she began, "the reason I asked you to come in this morning..."

"Yes?" Ana's eyes widened.

"I need you to get a jump-start on some work for next week," Elena said. "I have some manuscripts I need you to read and report on..."

The sigh of relief that left Ana's lungs filled the entire room. She nodded her head vigorously, so thrilled to accept her first assignment rather than having to beg to keep her job. "Oh, Elena, I would be _happy_ to!"

"Well, that's just wonderful," Elena said and clapped her hands together before gesturing toward the large copy paper box sitting on the floor next to her desk. "Here you go, Anastasia. These are for you..."

There must have been thousands of printed sheets of manuscripts within the box. Ana wondered how she'd have enough time just to read them before Tuesday - let alone prepare reports. It looked like that conversation with Christian was going to have to wait.

"Oh, I hope you're not taking the subway home, Anastasia," Elena said, with a mockery of a sad frown on her lips. "That box is _awfully heavy_..."

"Um," Ana sputtered, "I think I can-manage."

"Fantastic," Elena said, rising to extend her hand to Ana. "See you next Tuesday. And if you would, please bring those back with you. We're very big on recycling here in New York. I'm sure there's someone else who will need to read them."

Elena returned to her telephone while Ana carefully squatted down in her perfect pencil skirt and made an attempt to lift the load left for her. She was certain there were rocks in the bottom. All the while, she could feel Elena's eyes upon her. Obviously, the rumors about New York being a tough town were true - at least within the halls of Remington Publishing.

With a grunt, Ana managed to hoist the box and meander toward the door. Just outside, Jillian watched from her desk and motioned for her to come over to her cubicle. Placing a finger over her lips to signal Ana to keep quiet, she whispered, "I'll help you out with that, Anastasia."

The two young women waited for a moment and looked around to make sure the coast was clear. Once they were both certain that Elena's next thunderous phone call would be a lengthy one, Jillian motioned toward the reception area, and bent down to help Ana carry the box.

"I am so sorry about this," Jillian finally said when they were alone in the elevator. "Just between us, Elena can be very difficult. If I were you, I'd keep looking for another job."

"That bad?" Ana asked, her eyes popping with horror. "What a great day this has evolved into..."

"I hope you're not taking the train, Anastasia."

"Please call me Ana," she said. "And I guess I'm not now..."

"I'll help you find a taxi, Ana," Jillian assured. "And you can call me Jill. I think we're going to be seeing a lot of each other very soon."

When the car touched down at last on the main floor, Ana's eyes darted to the building's entrance across the vast lobby to the revolving door. Lugging that box would be like dragging a boulder across a football field. She looked at Jillian, her face awash in panic, then stilled when she heard a familiar voice.

"Ana, what the hell is going on here?"

She practically pirouetted in her turn to find Christian, fresh out of the boardroom in an off-white linen suit and pale blue shirt. She cursed him silently. Jillian didn't need to get involved in their drama.

"Christian...what are you-"

"You told me that you had a meeting here this morning," he answered. "I thought I'd try to catch you - so that we could talk. Now, what the hell is this?" He took the box from the two struggling young women and lifted it under one arm.

"My work for the week," Ana explained.

"I thought you started next Tuesday."

"I do," Ana said. "But I have to read these manuscripts and prepare reports on them before I start."

"The hell you do. I'll take care of this." He turned to Jillian while he allowed the box to drop with a loud thud that echoed throughout the entire lobby. "Sorry, I didn't catch your name?"

That warm smile returned again to brighten her face. "I'm Jillian McGee, Mr. Grey."

Ana couldn't believe her colleague recognized him so quickly, but she didn't miss the reaction. There was just something so charismatic about him - even when he was angry.

"Jillian, please have a porter take this box back upstairs," Christian began, "and kindly let your superior know that Anastasia will not be available to work until next Tuesday."

"Christian, what are you doing?" Ana protested.

"I've got your back, Miss Steele, just trust me on this," he said and slung his arm around Ana's waist as he turned to Jillian once more. "Nice to meet you. And thank you for helping Ana with this."

"I could lose this job over this," Ana spat as he escorted her out of the building and headed toward his waiting car. "You can't just play God like this, Christian..."

"Trust me, Ana," he said, placing his hands on her shoulders and turning her to look into his eyes. "That's the first lesson you need to learn here."

"I sincerely hope you're right here..." Disgusted with herself for even bothering to get out of bed that morning, she turned away from him and closed her eyes.

"Ana, I wield a lot of power in this city. You're definitely not going to lose a job you haven't even begun yet. Now, please just come with me so that we can have a private conversation." Moving aside, he opened the car door, then added, "Between two adults."

Immediately, she took note that Taylor wasn't in the front seat. She wondered if he actually had a rare day off.

Once Christian had belted her in, she asked, "Where are you taking me?"

"Somewhere private," he said, his thumbs tapping away at his phone as he composed an e-mail. "Is that beast with whom you cohabitate home right now?"

"Uh, Kate's at work."

"Mind if we go to your apartment then?"

Waving her arm in sluggish agreement, Ana said, "Lead the way."


	16. Chapter 16

_**Chapter Sixteen**_  
"So," Ana said as she slipped the key into the deadbolt lock, "this isn't quite the palace you're used to - and unfortunately, we don't have a Red Room of Pain - but welcome, I think, to our humble abode."

"Oh, Ana, this is great!" he said as he looked around the small living and dining area. "It's perfect for two young women like you and what's-her-face..."

Ana dropped her bag by the door then put her hands up in the air as if in protest. "First of all, before we even begin to talk, lose the attitude with Kate. Or you can leave through the door where you just made your entrance."

"Sassy," he said, his now playful eyes darting over the dip in her white blouse and the curve of her body in that tight black skirt. "Must be the only child in you, Miss Steele."

"Don't forget it, Grey," she said and kicked off her heels.

"I really wish you'd leave those on, Ana," he said, his smile teasing.

"My feet hurt, and you're here to talk - not to play," she reminded him. "Now, what can I get you to drink?"

"I'm fine, Ana," he said. "I have a meeting later this afternoon."

Laughing to herself when she opened the fridge, Ana reached for a beer, musing how she didn't necessarily care about having the same clarity she needed the prior afternoon. When she returned to Christian in the living area, she stopped only inches away from him, and looked up into the storm clouds of his grey eyes.

"Just in case Kate decides to come home for lunch, why don't we go talk in my room?" she suggested.

"After you," he bowed to Ana, then followed her down the short hallway to the tiny bedroom. Christian was quick to note the blush of her cheeks as she rushed around collecting the clothes that were strewn on the floor, likely in her haste to get ready that morning. "You need to be more organized, Miss Steele. And you should probably have some lunch before you drink that..."

Hands wrapping gently but firmly around his forearms, Ana spoke with extreme caution. "I am not playing games this afternoon, Christian," she whispered. "I'm not sure what you expect of me yet, but this is no time to order me around."

"Fair point, well made," he muttered.

"Now, please, make yourself comfortable."

Sheepishly, Christian took a seat on the very edge of her bed, but all the while took note of the room's every detail - from the frilly toile bedding, to the framed photos - of perhaps her parents and maybe her college friends - on the nightstand, to the iPad he'd given her that she'd left on the dresser.

"I'm very sorry about my little outburst this morning," he said. "I let myself get a little out of control."

"A little?" she repeated and sat down beside him, but laughed to herself over the irony of his words. "Christian, you keep talking about trust, but obviously you have none in me."

"Well, I jumped to some conclusions, and I shouldn't have screamed at you the way I did." He grasped her hand, and held it tighter when she tried to pull away. "I know we've had a crazy beginning here, and I'd just like to start over."

"I can forgive you," she said, "but I'm still angry."

"As you should be," he agreed. "Just let this be a lesson. I live in a very public world, Ana. If you're still even remotely interested in me at this point, we've both got to be careful."

"Do you have any idea who tipped the guy off?" she wondered and took a swig straight from the bottle. The cold amber taste claimed her senses, and she willed herself to relax, even with Christian Grey sitting in her bedroom.

"It was just a random photographer in the right place at the right time," he chuckled with a twinge of bitterness. "But it's kept my publicity department on their toes today. Everyone wants to know who you are."

At that moment, Ana wasn't even sure who she was. She felt like she'd aged ten years since she stepped off the plane from Portland.

"You know, I don't know if that's something I can handle - being in the limelight," she admitted. "If this is a taste of what's to come..."

"Ana, I promise you that I'll shield you from as much of it as I possibly can," he promised. "But for now, maybe we should just keep things very low-key. If you're still willing to give this a shot?"

"Christian, I have so much to think about right now - and not just this photograph that's gone viral," she reminded him.

"It's about yesterday - and last night," he prompted.

"Yes...no...it's..."

Words simply left her as she sought to figure out what she wanted - what she needed - to say to him. There were so many things she had to know, but they'd only known each other for the duration of a weekend. She couldn't pry into his personal life so soon. She would have to muster some patience...and gain his trust.

"Talk to me, Ana," he encouraged.

Inside, she cried back, _**Talk to me, Christian**_.

"Maybe you're right," she said. "Maybe we should just take a day, and start over."

"Only if you promise you'll trip over me again," he teased.

Her lips puckered around the lip of the beer bottle, but he could see her smile. "And only if you'll take me on another tour of the Red Room of Pain again..."

Nostrils flared with the quick intake of a breath, he retorted, "We're not playing games this afternoon, need I remind you, Miss Steele?"

"Fair point, well made, Mr. Grey."

"I hate to do this, but I really do need to get back to work," he said, this wisp of his fingers playing over her cheek. "But I'm going to leave you with an assignment, since your boss' plans have been thwarted."

"Remember when I mentioned forgiveness?" Ana bit back. "I don't think I'm quite there yet with that scene at Remington this morning..."

Swooping one finger over her face to her mouth, he said, "We're starting over, Anastasia." Christian could feel her lips trembling against his touch. "Understand?"

Temptation to take his finger between lips taunted her. "Yes," she breathed.

"Good," he said, and pulled his hand away. "Now, your assignment - I want you to read _The Story of O_ tonight, Ana."

"I can do that," she said.

"And I want a book report - due by eleven, and not a minute late," he said. "Understand?"

"Yes..." She attempted to stifle a giggle. "...Sir."

"You know, Miss Steele, giggling when addressing your Dominant is grounds for punishment," he warned. "However, that sound is music to my ears, so I'll let that slide for today."

"I'm sorry, Sir..."

"My dear, dear good girl..." Wild and ravaging, his eyes held her in complete stillness. "You still have so much to learn. But unfortunately, I have a company to run."

"Shall I show you to the door?" Ana asked.

"I think I know my way out, but I'd love an escort..."

When they reached the tiny foyer, Ana made a weak attempt at playing casual, but she couldn't resist her own urge to ask, "Kiss me?"

"I thought you were still angry with me," he reminded her.

"I am, but no so much that-"

"You can wait til tomorrow, Anastasia..."

With a wink of a playful grey eye, Christian walked through the door and gently pulled it shut.


	17. Chapter 17

_**Chapter Seventeen**_  
It was around seven when Ana finally made her way to the living room and found Kate, unwinding from work in a tiny tank and yoga pants and munching on a bag of chips. Eyes riveted on some reality show, she didn't notice her best friend's presence until Ana, iPad in hand, joined her on the couch.

"So did Mr. Huffy Pants ever cool down today?" Kate asked suddenly, and reached for the remote to mute the television.

"All is fine, Kate," she said. "With Christian. With the new job. It's all going to be OK."

However, Ana wasn't sure if she was trying to convince Kate - or herself - of her convictions.

Assuming a casual air, she slunk back toward the corner of the couch and began pecking at the touch screen, mindlessly listening as Kate offered every last detail of her day. Usually, Ana didn't mind the chatter - she was used to it after living with her for four years - but that evening, she just didn't have the energy to pay attention.

Ana's only comfort in her grueling day was a non-apologetic e-mail from Elena, telling her not to worry about reading the manuscripts. True to his word, Christian must have taken care of the situation somehow. He seemed to know everyone in this town. Her only remaining concern was that Elena would strike back twice as hard when Ana officially assumed her new position.

As promised, she'd whizzed through The _Story of O_ in a matter of a couple of hours - a quick read that spiraled her downward into a serious case of the blues.

If Christian envisioned Ana carrying out the ghastly daily duties of her so-called literary counterpart, she knew already that she would simply have to walk away.

Now, as she sat to compose her e-mail, she just didn't know what to say. Over and over she made countless false starts, couching her words carefully only to delete them. She wasn't certain what frightened her more - the depiction of Christian's so-called lifestyle in the book or the fact that if she refused to play, he would simply walk away.

When at last she hit send, she did so with a heavy heart. She hoped her stab at humor might win her some points in the end.

_**From: Anastasia Steele**_  
_**Subject: O MY!**_  
_**Date: June 10, 2013, 19:52**_  
_**To: Christian Grey**_

_Kind Sir,_

_Firstly, thank you for your sincere apology this afternoon. After this morning's drama, I'm glad that we had the chance to speak in person - like adults. Your time was most appreciated._

_You should also know that I have completed my assignment for the evening._

_Prostitution, piercings and brandings - O MY!_

_Is O's journey a true representation of consensual play? If so, I must have glossed over the negotiation and contracts chapter in the book._

_Right now, I feel gritty and scared and shocked all at the same time._

_Stylistically, I found the plot disjointed and the translation abysmal at best. If I may set a limit this evening, I beg of you, kind Sir, to relieve me of any possible expectations to read the sequel._

_Now, an aside: I received a personal note from my boss telling me that I did not have to complete her assignment before next Tuesday. Although I thank you again for whatever hand you had in that matter, please refrain from interfering with my job. Please, kind Sir, I beg..._

_Mortified in Manhattan,_  
_AS_  
_Anastasia Steele_

"Ana...Ana..._**Anastasia**_?"

The flash of Kate's hand in front of her face startled Ana from her reverie, as she stared at the screen of her iPad.

"Sexting again with your Page Six Pinup Boy?" Kate teased.

"No, Katherine," Ana said, swiping her hand over the screen to collapse her open, sent e-mail. "Just playing a little catch-up here with everyone."

"You know...I heard from Jose today..." While Kate tried to cloak her voice with an air of nonchalance, Ana knew that she'd purposely decided to drop his name. "I think he's lonely without us. Maybe you should drop him a note..."

"We did have some good times, didn't we, Kavanagh?" Ana mused.

"Ana, I think he's still in love with you," Kate blurted out.

"Oh, come on!" Ana protested. "He was just like a brother to me. I'm sure there was nothing there..."

"Honestly, he saw that picture today, Ana," Kate confided. "I guess it's news everywhere on the Internet. He recognized you immediately. And I think he was saddened by it."

"I think you're exaggerating a bit there," Ana said, wondering who else might have noticed her in the photo. Her mother and step-father really didn't pay attention to celebrity gossip, so she was relatively certain that her secret was safe from them for the time being. "And I certainly never had any intentions of hurting him - he's one of my dearest friends."

"Shoot him a note, Ana," Kate advised. "I think it'll make his night."

While she promised she would drop a line to Jose, another e-mail diverted her from the task at hand.

**_From: Christian Grey_**  
**_Subject: Lions, Tigers and Bears..._**  
**_Date: June 10, 2013, 20:19_**  
**_To: Anastasia Steele_**

_Miss Mortified:_

_I remain impressed this evening with both your completion of the assignment and your obvious speed-reading skills. It has been duly noted that you've finished your work long before the deadline - which is a feat greatly appreciated in the world of business._

_I'm also glad you're being so very honest with me. This will assist as we move forward to set limits within our arrangement._

_That being said, I am concerned about your absolute disdain for O._

_You're looking at that book in the wrong context, Miss Steele. With a perfect GPA in English Literature, I must say this is a slight disappointment. Yes, the novel depicts some scenes that - for the average vanilla - would simply astound._

_However, try to consider her journey through training and her emerging commitment to her Master, and focus less on the actual depictions of kink in the book. Perhaps you'll eventually understand those parallels in yourself. Take note, Miss Steele._

_As I said to you last night, I have no intention to share you with anyone, so prostitution is not an issue. Why would I ship you off to a Chateau for training when I'd have so much more fun doing that myself?_

_I'm not into piercings beyond your delicious earlobes. However, in light of your revelation last night regarding toys, I would like to pursue the use of clamps with you._

_And as for branding, I wouldn't think of marring your beautiful little ass with a hot iron. There are many other means of a temporary nature to put my stamp on you._

_I can only hope that one day you'll indulge me the pleasure of seeing you so gritty and scared and shocked._

_In closing, please note that your boss had attempted to infringe upon my time alone with you this week. In such cases, I take matters into my own hands. You have been forewarned._

_We shall start fresh tomorrow after today's negotiated break._

_Fear not for now, as we'll discuss this at greater length,_  
_CG_

_Christian Grey_  
_CEO, Grey Enterprise Holdings, Inc._  
_PS I am willing to negotiate on the sequel if you agree to read __**Venus in Furs**__ next._

"OK, Ana, stop lying to me!" Kate cried out as she eyed Ana from the opposite corner of the couch. "You are red from head to toe. He's sexting you."

"Kate, just stop!" Ana put her hand up, palm facing Kate. "Enough already..."

Suspicion cloaked Kate's ever curious face, and her green eyes narrowed as she crept across the couch on her knees to Ana and leaned in for the kill. "Ana, did you..." She lowered her voice to a stage whisper. "Did you..._sleep with him_?"

"No!" Ana stood up in one swift movement and banged her iPad against her knee in her effort. "You know, that's it for tonight, Kate. I think I'm going to my room to turn in."

"Oh, come on, Ana," Kate begged. "You used to tell me everything..."

"Kate, I've never really had anything to tell!"

"Fine - go be alone with your secretive billionaire," Kate resigned, and hugged a throw pillow in her lap. "If you have any questions, though, about..._you know_...I will always be here for you, Steele..."

Kate was the last person whom Ana would dare to ask any questions relating to the art of love making - especially not the brand of which Christian Grey had plans of introducing. Ana could only laugh and flush a deeper shade of red as she imagined the conversations. Even with her own breadth of experience, Kate would certainly be stunned.

Alone in the comforts of her tiny room again, Ana set out to compose her reply.

**_From: Anastasia Steele_**  
**_Subject: Anastasia in Furs_**  
**_Date: June 10, 2013, 20:33_**  
**_To: Christian Grey_**

_Kind Sir:_

_Once again, your clarifications have been enlightening and are much appreciated._

_I have taken note of your evaluation of this classic novel, and perhaps I may revisit the book at another time after I have gained some new insight into the matter at hand. As a graduate with a degree in English Literature, I am always open to interpretation._

_Alas, I do shudder at one of your suggestions. Clamps? *she squeals, biting her lip* I will conduct further research on that matter._

_Meanwhile, I shall give this __**Venus in Furs**__ you speak of a shot. Perhaps one day we shall arrive at a happy medium in our literary preferences. If I may, I suggest __**Lady Chatterley's Lover**__._

_I am looking forward to tripping over you again tomorrow, and I hope you are equally excited about introducing me once again to The Red Room of Pain._

_Gritty - but no longer Scared and Shocked,_  
_A_  
_Anastasia Steele_  
_PS What does "vanilla" mean?_

The minutes always passed like hours as she longed to read his latest missives. She wondered if he struggled with words as she had when she wrote to him.

Online games were such a silly way to pass the time, but Ana needed simple, mindless diversions as she waited for Christian to respond. She thought maybe she should actually start reading _Venus_ or researching clamps, but she'd indulged in enough erotica for one day.

**_From: Christian Grey_**  
**_Subject: Lord Grey's submissive_**  
**_Date: June 10, 2013, 21:00_**  
**_To: Anastasia Steele_**

_Dearest Gritty,_

_First off, I think that's a wonderful idea - reading the book again at a later time. I hope our conversation takes on a much different tone at that time._

_As for old lady Chatterley and that lover of hers, I think I'll pass, as it's much too tame for my tastes. However, this is a great opportunity for me to explain "vanilla," which simply refers to any person or sexual practice that does not involve BDSM._

_BTW, I want to be clear that lip biting is a punishable offense even within the context of an e-mail. Should you wish to continue on and make this arrangement official, I will add that to your list of existing indiscretions._

_As much as I love reading your notes, I must call it a night and bid you sweet dreams for now. I have a video conference at eleven-thirty this evening with Tokyo, and I must prepare._

_I am considering our plans for tomorrow with caution, and I will let you know what I have decided in the morning. Privacy, as you know, is of the utmost importance right now._

_Meanwhile, have a restful slumber, baby._

_Don't let the bedbugs bite,_  
_CG_  
_Christian Grey_  
_CEO, Grey Enterprise Holdings, Inc._  
_PS And look out for those lions, tigers and bears..._


	18. Chapter 18

_**Chapter Eighteen**_  
Ana's final days of freedom seemed to whirl past her in the blink of an eye, and Christian Grey did not aim to disappoint.

He'd wowed her with a flight over the city in his private helicopter that he'd piloted himself...took her for a few spins on the glamorous old carousel at the foot of the Manhattan Bridge in Brooklyn...strolled her along the Hudson after sipping champagne at the Manhattan Yacht Club...

By Friday evening, Ana found herself exhilaratingly exhausted; however, there was no rest for the weary in the world of Christian Grey.

With Kate off to the Hamptons for the weekend with her parents and brother, Ana found a brief respite from the daily inquisitions and rather enjoyed the solitude of their apartment. She'd suggested that perhaps they stay in that night, order take out - watch a movie - only to be knowingly shot down by Christian's insistence that he'd already made plans.

Once she descended to the lobby, she found Christian in his spot by the revolving door, waiting per his usual, running his fingers through his hair. She wasn't late. She was perfectly on time. He had no reason to complain.

There was a new doorman seated at the front desk - some hipster wannabe with his flowing red hair pulled taut into a pony tail and tiny silver hoops dangling from his ears.

While Ana wanted nothing more than to just cut across the floor to her Fifty Shades of Impatience, the youngish man stopped her immediately and extended his hand. "Miss Steele?" he asked. "I'm Jonathan, and it's a pleasure to meet you. Your guest is waiting just over there."

Ana knew he was only trying to acquaint himself with everyone in the building, but that night, she just didn't have the time or energy for chitchat.

"Yes, I see him," Ana smiled, looking away toward Christian and his cranky face. "Thank you, Jonathan, and welcome to the building..."

"New doorman?" Christian prodded as Ana turned her cheek upward, hoping for a peck that never came.

"No kisses, yet again," she mumbled, and followed him out to the car. "You would know about him much better than I, Mr. Grey. I thought you kept tabs on things like that."

"Well, he was flirting with you, so I'll have to look into it," Christian said, eyes dancing over her outfit. Ana noticed that he had to check out every last detail of her fashion choices every single time they went out together. That night, she wore a black dress with tiny white polka dots and a pair of chunky black sandals - perfect outfit for a warm summer evening. "You look lovely as ever, Miss Steele."

"Thank you," she said. "And he was not flirting with me. He was merely doing his job."

"So I thought we'd take it a bit easy this evening," Christian said, choosing to systematically ignore her protest. "Dinner...drinks...and conversation..."

His plans always filled her with anticipation. She could be sitting next to him on the couch, and things never seemed to dull in his presence. He also loved to surprise her, so she stopped asking about the details before they arrived. Ana was just happy that he paid mind to her suggestion to keep things low key for one evening.

When Taylor stopped in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art just a few blocks away, Ana's jaw dropped in wonder - not so much over the destination, but over how she could ever walk up all those steps in the shoes she wore. Christian, however, was quick to direct him to a private, side-entrance of the vast building, just in case there were any curious photographers looming along Fifth Avenue that evening. He didn't want a repeat of Central Park any time soon.

Taking Ana's hands as he helped her out of the car, Christian smiled and raised a knowing eyebrow. "How does dinner on the rooftop sound?"

"Like the perfect Friday night in New York to me..."

A docent greeted them just inside the double-doors and escorted them up to the fifth floor by elevator through the European Sculpture annex. Ana's eyes darted around the gallery, trying to take everything in as Christian walked so briskly determined beside her. Lost in her fleeting glimpses of Rodin and Degas, Ana made a mental note to drop by again when she had the time to explore.

At last, when Christian reached for the door leading out to the rooftop, Ana wrapped her fingers around his arm to stop him. "Uh, that sign says the deck is closed for a private party..."

"Ana," he turned to her, chuckling, "we _are_ that private party."

Over the last few days, she'd come to realize that one could see the splendor of the city best from the heights of Manhattan, and the rooftop garden at the Met was no exception. The skyline was almost a backdrop to the lush blooming trees and thick carpet of green grass in the frame of Central Park that ensconced the museum.

A light summer breeze sent a chill over Ana's shoulders, and when she shivered, Christian immediately took off his own jacket to cover her. Beside them, a table was lavishly set with a centerpiece of fresh hydrangeas flanked by two white taper candles, their flickers of light reflecting off the crystal holders in the dusk. Once again, the last thing on Ana's mind was the menu, which she was certain Christian had chosen himself.

"You know, it's one week this evening that you tripped over me," Christian reminded her and raised his glass in a toast.

_One week_. How Ana's life had changed in a mere seven days.

"Here's to you, Mr. Grey," she smiled and tapped her glass to his.

"No, Anastasia..._to you_..."

Over a second glass of wine, they simply stood looking out at the city, Christian close behind Ana but leaving just a trace of distance between them. Words - for the moment, she decided - simply weren't necessary, and she reveled in this rare sense of calm that settled over them.

When they sat down to dinner, Christian carefully took hold of her linen napkin and covered her lap. He refilled her glass once more, then his own, and settled back on his chair, taking in the look of absolute contentment on Ana's face.

"What's going on in that mind of yours, Miss Steele?"

"Just thinking..." she murmured.

"I'd actually like to give you a little more to think about tonight," he said. "I know we've danced around the subject the last couple of days, but I'd really like to get serious about our arrangement."

"The old contract," she said, her smile slowly curling on her lips.

"I have it drawn, Anastasia," he said. "It's mostly my wish list, but we'll have to discuss it all in detail. I need to know your limits, and I need to know how far you're willing to let me push you right now...if you're still considering submitting to me."

"I am, Christian," her voice was so soft that he could barely hear her. "I'm just a little frightened of the idea of pain at the moment."

"And I think that's a normal response," he said. "I told you, though, we'll work up to that lightly. There are still so many other things you need to learn first, as we begin this together..."

"Like..." she leaned in closer "...what?"

Ana had to smile as the waiter interrupted suddenly with their grilled salmon. That poor young man probably had no idea what they were discussing. She could only hope that his ears hadn't caught much of their conversation.

"Well," Christian said, when the coast was clear, "one of the basic techniques - but important on various levels - is orgasm control."

Ana couldn't fight the giggle that left her lips, and she prayed he couldn't see the flush of her cheeks in the darkness falling over the city. "Is that even humanly possible?"

"It is, Anastasia," he encouraged so very gently. "You'll learn how to climax without being touched - without uttering a single sound."

She raised a curious eyebrow. "And the motive behind the madness?"

"You may have the need to come at some point when we're in a very public place - like the subway," he explained. "Discretion is key..."

Tossing her head back, Ana chuckled. "Does Christian Grey ever really take the subway?"

"I might have to make an exception," he said. "I'll also teach you how to come on command - whenever and wherever I see fit. And there will be many times when I'll expect you to delay your own greedy little gratification."

Baby blue eyes widening, Ana felt her lips slacken, her smile waning. She refused to put all of her cards on the table, but she was also certain that Christian was playing with a marked deck and could sense her ever growing desire as their chatter continued to unfold.

"What - do you mean? Hold it in? Like when I have to pee and there's no bathroom in sight?" she attempted to mock. "Come on, Christian."

"I'm serious, Ana, and you may find it funny now, but soon all of this could become second nature to you..."

"So..." Ana folded her hands ever so delicately in her lap. "...what else would I be learning in BDSM 101?"

"Basic rules of obedience - some of which you're learning already," he continued. "You know I like you to be prompt, if not early. There's the whole lip biting issue. And other things, too. You won't be allowed to touch yourself, play with your toys without permission-"

"Uh, I don't think that will be a problem..."

"Oh, no?" Christian raised his brow and his glass to his lips at the same time. "Why is that, Miss Steele?"

"Because..." she shifted in her seat. He always had to push her buttons, prod her until she simply couldn't think. "I don't...I've never..."

"You've never touched yourself?"

"No!" she thumped her fist on the table.

"I thought you were much less of a prude than that, Miss Steele."

"I've never had any..." _Desire_. _Reason_. So many excuses popped into her mind, but she couldn't admit to any of them.

"Never had any what, Ana?" his playful grey eyes continued to tease.

"Um...well, actually," she said, and smoothed her now sweaty palms over the heavy linen napkin in her lap. "I...I've never...uh...had sex."


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**  
Christian's smile froze, as he slowly inched his fingers through his copper locks. "That's very funny, Miss Steele," he said at last. "But enough of the jokes this evening. We need to get serious about moving forward with..."

Ana wanted to pull her napkin over her head and hide from him forever. She could feel her entire body begin to burn with chagrin. Closing her eyes, she dug her teeth into her lip, willing herself to hold her emotions together. Now wasn't the time to fall apart.

"Dammit, Anastasia, stop!" Christian whipped his napkin off his lap and threw it on the table, giving not a care that it landed on top of his dinner plate. He began to pace around the terrace, roaming wildly like a caged tiger just as he had the previous Sunday after making out with Ana on the couch. Raising his hand to his forehead, he rubbed his temples as if he could feel a migraine starting to build.

Ana sat for a moment scrutinizing his erratic behavior once again, but she couldn't remain still for long. In one swift movement, she got out of her chair and began to follow him as he paced. She wasn't going to allow him to slip away from this conversation with another temper tantrum.

"What's your problem here, Christian?" she demanded.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me?" he spun around to face her, throwing his arms in the air in frustration. "_When_ were you planning on letting me know? Before or after I took you to my dungeon and spanked the hell out of you?"

Shoulders heaving with a quick sigh, Ana muttered, "I prefer to call it The Red Room of Pain, Mr. Grey," she spat. "And let me just say that I really haven't had the opportunity to discuss it with you - because when we're not negotiating my possible contract or sipping champagne, we're usually screaming at each other like we are right now."

"That's not fair, Ana," he retorted.

"No, _you're_ not being fair right now," she insisted. "What's the big issue?"

"What's the _issue_?" he hissed through clenched teeth. "The issue is that you misled me!"

"***k...you...Christian...Grey," she said as she tore his jacket from her shoulders and tossed it on the concrete ground then stepped right over it, leaving the imprint of her sandals on the fine linen as she headed for the door.

However, Christian was quick to hold her back with an easy grip of her upper arm. "Ana, don't leave like this..."

"Well, obviously you don't want some inexperienced little girl from the middle of nowhere, so I'll just go find someone who _does_."

"Ana," he whispered reverently and cautiously turned her to face him. He crushed his face against her hair that fluttered about in the breeze, and nestled his nose against her. "Don't go..."

"What are you doing to me?" she murmured, frightened to get too close. "_Why_ are you _doing_ _this_ to me?"

"Ana, baby..." his heavy sigh was warm against her ear. "There are two issues here..."

"Clue me the hell in then, rather than insulting my innocence," she said.

"I spend all of my time apologizing to you, don't I?" his voice overflowing with guilt and regret.

She crossed her arms. And waited. Ana wasn't about to back down now.

"If this is the first time you'll...make love..." Christian continued, wincing at his own word choice. Ana could clearly see he was struggling with this conversation. "I don't want to subject you to...well...nothing harsh, at least right now. You don't deserve that."

"That's actually quite chivalrous of you, Christian," she admitted reluctantly, wondering if he was about to tell her to leave his life forever.

"But Ana - I didn't...I've never done the vanilla thing. " He stopped again to gather his thoughts. "And I've never been with a...well...a virgin..."

His admission was so raw with honesty, and Ana could sense that his fears paralleled her own. She wanted to reach out and hold him - to be held - but his own idiosyncrasies over being touched held her at bay.

"Never?" her murmur brimming with skepticism.

"I've only played hardcore - indulged in kink. And never..." His voice trailed off, as if he was frightened to repeat the word. "...never had the notion to bring someone with such purity into that world with me..."

"Do you want me to go now?" she finally had to ask, but didn't want to hear his answer. "To leave?"

When he shook his head, Ana could see a slight trace of a smile playing delicately over his lips. "I don't want you to go anywhere, Anastasia..."

Refusing to waver even while her lips trembled, Ana forced her shoulders back and stood tall in her tiny frame. "Then what _do_ you want?"

"I want _you_," he said, the words so steady and controlled against the absolute yearn in his cloudy eyes. "And I want you tonight, Ana...if you're ready for this...

She couldn't answer him when she wasn't quite sure of what he was asking.

"You mean...?"

"I want you - and I want your submission," he whispered. "This is your choice, Anastasia. We can formalize things tomorrow, but I just want - I _need_ to know that you comprehend what I'm asking of you...and I need to know that you're doing this of your own free will."

She could feel his fingers tighten around her arms - not in anger, but in the realm of absolute lust and complete control. Wavering against him, Ana paid heed to the weight of Christian's proposition. What she lacked in experience, she mastered in the discovery of the needs he'd so artfully unveiled to her over the course of the week.

"Yes...Sir...I understand..." She tilted her head ever so slightly, yearning yet again for the velvety touch of his lips and the tortuous play of his tongue. "And I give you my submission..."

"Good girl..." He dipped his head, his smile curving against her neck. "Such a good girl..."

"Please, Sir..." Clutching his shirt collar, Ana, knowingly taking a shot in the dark, begged, "Please...just...kiss me..."

"Soon enough, baby." His thumb brushed over her open lips. "Soon enough. Now, let's get you out of here, shall we?"

"Yes..." she mumbled, defeated. "Yes...Sir..."

"Would you be more comfortable at your place...?" his eyes implored her senses, cluttering her ability yet again to think.

She nodded slowly. "Kate's - away..."

"I know, baby," he whispered. "I already know..."

For once, Christian Grey didn't bother to finish his dinner.


	20. Chapter 20

_**Chapter Twenty**_  
She wasn't biting her mouth, per se. Anastasia Steele simply pulled both of her lips between her teeth, clamping them together in an almost bruising vise while Christian Grey carefully tucked her in, buckling up her seatbelt. Nostrils flaring, the short gasps of breath that she forced through her nose echoed interchangeably with the sound of her own gulp pulsing against her throat.

"So _needy_..." Christian muttered and purposely turned his attention toward the darkened window of the car, watching her twist and turn all the while from the corner of his eye. "_**Self**_-control is going to be your downfall, Miss Steele..."

"You'll teach me..." she squeaked, squirming again.

"Yes, Anastasia, I'll teach you..." he said, then shook his head. "Or at least I'm going to try...with due diligence..."

"I think it's that..." Again, she folded her lips together, took a breath, then struggled to explain herself. "I think I'm in that subzone thing..."

Christian bit his own tongue in his effort to stifle a snigger. Ana was such a bookworm, trying to impress him with her rapid-fire study of the politically correct terminology, based solely upon her reliance of WikiPedia. She was so green...yet so irresistibly inquisitive - a combination that, when he made the effort to think about it as he did that moment, petrified him.

"Sub_**SPACE**_, baby..." he corrected and stretched out a long, fit arm to ruffle her hair.

"Subspace," she repeated.

For twenty-one years, Ana ignored anything and everything that lent itself toward a sexual nature. Yet in a matter of days, Christian managed to strip away her guard and unleash a yen for a string of taboos that had never crossed her mind.

While he enjoyed Ana's daze for a bit, Christian almost felt as if he were losing his grip over her. She was clearly lost in her own lust, but he needed her now to be fully aware of each and every second as the evening progressed. As the car halted in front of her building, he unbuckled the seatbelt, climbed out of the backseat and held the door open for her.

"You need to make it upstairs, Miss Steele," he reminded her. "I'm not going to carry you like a baby..."

Sliding over the backseat, she accepted his challenge. Ana knew her dress had ridden up to her thighs, and modesty claimed her senses with a start. Of course, she knew that she had to return to her apartment, and she quickly pulled her dress over her knees as she dropped her feet to the curb. Ignoring his hands for assistance, she managed somehow to stand and stroll through the revolving door on her wobbly legs.

They both ignored the greeting from the overly cheery new doorman, as both Ana and Christian attempted to feign a casual air en route to the elevator.

Alone inside the car, Christian tapped the call panel and waited for the doors to close. "You're so ready to come, aren't you, Anastasia?" he tormented with a pitiless smile. "And yet - you've never had an orgasm in your life, have you?"

"And you're being cruel, Mr. Grey," she retorted, wrapping one leg around the other in her effort to stand.

"Get used to it, Miss Steele. Maybe you'll even grow to _embrace_ it..." he said. "Lean against the wall, please. I don't want you to fall..."

Once they arrived at her door, Ana handed him the keys, too shaky to try to unlock the deadbolt on her own.

Ana stood for a moment in the living room, almost hovering in her wait. A foot of space separated them, but neither made a move. She held his gaze and followed those Fifty Shades of Cirrus eyes as he plotted his next move.

Ever so decidedly, Christian crossed the room and took a seat on the radiator cover in front of the windows. He raised his index finger, signaling Ana to join him.

"Uh-uh!" He wrapped his hands around her waist as she moved to sit down next to him.

"Stand, Miss Steele."

Ana acquiesced.

"And stand straight."

She rolled her shoulders back.

"Posture is important," he said while he slumped his own shoulders, leaned against the window as he pulled his phone from his pocket. "Now...I think we have some business to take care of here..."

"We do," she uttered, finally, in agreement.

"Now, Anastasia, you know full well that I don't readily admit my weaknesses, but tonight I have to be very honest with you." He didn't bother to look at her as he seemingly checked his e-mail. "You've had a taste for what I want from this arrangement, and you know what I expect, correct?"

Eyes fluttering wide open with a bat of her thick lashes, Ana murmured, "I do..."

"That being said," he caught her gaze, "I'm going to make love to you tonight, but this is not something that you should expect from me. I just want to be very clear with you."

Ana's breasts swelled within the tight confines of the bodice of her black and white dress as she sighed. With a sense of nervous excitement stirring, she hooked her hands around her back, clasping them and twisting her fingers, and staggered on her own two feet. "I get that, Christian."

"Good girl...good, good girl..." he sighed. "So you should also understand that before we - make love...we have some business to take care of..."

"We do?" she dared to question.

"Oh, yes," he smiled. "With your verbal agreement to consent earlier tonight, I have to issue a punishment this evening."

Mouth dangling, ready to protest, Ana could only stammer, "Y-you said you wouldn't...you'd work up to the...pain..."

"We've not signed our contract yet," he reminded her. "I wouldn't even dare to think of implementing any of the standard consequences this evening. It's not going to hurt you - physically - in the slightest, baby. But I do guarantee, it's going to be painful before you have your pleasure tonight."

Ana had not one iota of comprehension as to what Christian had in store, and although she was craving to find out, she quietly commanded herself to remain unruffled.

"Now, Miss Steele, before we delve deeper, we do have a major insubordination to address." Thoughtfully, he tapped his index finger against his chin. "Want to tell me what that is?"

_Oh, that's a simple one_, she thought. "I didn't disclose my virginity to you..."

Lifting his cool grey eyes toward the ceiling, he pursed his lips in frustration. "I'm waiting," he prompted her. "And I can wait all night..."

Ana swallowed the lump in her throat. "Sir."

"Do you know what else you did this evening, Miss Steele?

_Fifty Shades of Easy-Peasy_. Ana knew she had this in the bag. "I bit my lip, Sir."

"Yes, you did," he nodded with approval. "And _what else_?"

Her mouth dropped. Her mind went blank. As Ana scrambled to replay every single moment of their evening...she came up empty.

She pondered the consequences of her honest response when she admitted, "I, um...I honestly don't know, Sir."

"You trampled over my jacket," he admonished. "That's three strikes. You're out, Steele."

Her pouting lips unfurling into a frown, she pondered what her punishment might entail. While trepidation still held her in its grip, Ana grew increasingly curious as to what Mr. Grey had in store.

"Come closer, Anastasia," he said, wrapping his arm around Ana and turning her toward the window in one fluid swoop. He pointed to the delicatessen across the street. "You see the little grocery on the corner?"

"Mmmhmmm," she answered, only to feel the pinch of Christian's fingers on her backside before she corrected herself. "Yes, Sir."

"You've been there?" he casually asked.

"Of course, Sir."

"They deliver, so says the sign on the awning," he noted. "24/7.

"Yes, Sir, they do," Ana said. "Kate orders from them all the time..."

"Ahhh..." he sighed. "So you know them _personally_?"

"I know the delivery guy," she said, digging her heels into the plush carpet. "Sir..."

"Even better yet, Miss Steele..." Framing her face with those skillful hands, he held her completely still to look deep into the fear rising in her big blue eyes. "If you want to continue with our arrangement, Anastasia, you must learn first to obey."

"I know, Sir," she said, swaying her hips as he held her. "And I'll try my best..."

"Good girl," he praised. "Now, I'm just going to make an assumption that you're not on birth control. Am I right, Miss Steele?"

She shook her head quickly. "No, Sir..I'm not..."

"Well, we have to take care of that if we're going to make love tonight, don't we, baby?"

"Yes..._yes,_ Sir..."

"What I need you to do right now is very important," Christian said, circling his hand over her lower back. "You're going to call that number on the awning, and you're going to ask them to deliver a package of condoms. And then you're going to answer the door."

Mortified, Ana took a step back within the circle of his arm, only to realize that she was trapped between him and the radiator. "Christian! I..."

"Here's my phone. You have sixty seconds to finish your call."

Only in New York, Ana thought. Only in New ****ing York...


	21. Chapter 21

_**Chapter Twenty-One**_  
"Yes...um...delivery, please," Ana spoke into Christian's phone, her cheeks, neck and shoulders heating up as she gave the deli clerk her address. "Yes...er...could you please...I need a pack of condoms..."

"Good girl," Christian mouthed as Ana turned away from him.

"What _kind_?" Suddenly she whipped her head around, and looked to Christian for some direction, her eyes begging. "Uhhhh..."

"Lubricated, baby..." he prompted.

_I am going to die_, Ana thought as the words squeaked from her lips, "Lubricated. Please."

"You're doing so well," Christian cooed and patted her bottom.

"Size?" Eyes and mouth wide open, Ana began to panic. "I don't..."

"Be generous," Christian coaxed. "Go with the extra large."

"Extra," she paused to draw a deep breath into her lungs, "large...please..."

"Ask him what the wait time is..."

"And...how long will that be? Twenty minutes?"

"No, Ana, tell them it's urgent," he demanded. "We need them right now."

Covering the phone, she looked at Christian with a look of absolute frustration. "I can't just..."

"'Can't' is no longer a word in your vocabulary, Miss Steele," he warned. "Tell him _now_."

"Um...we're sort of in a hurry...could you possibly deliver right now? _Please_?"

"Oh, how I love to hear you beg," Christian murmured.

"Thank you so much..." she gasped and passed the phone back to Christian.

"Fifty-four seconds, Miss Steele," he clocked her on her sixty second time restraint. "Very good for your first punishment. Now...did that hurt?"

"Only my sense of pride," Ana whispered, turning away.

"You've learned your first lesson in humility tonight, baby," he said and handed her a hundred dollar bill from his wallet. "Now, you'll have to complete part two. Don't bother asking for change."

"I have to answer the door...?" Ana shook her head in disbelief at her very own self.

"I could make you do it in your bra and panties," Christian suggested.

Knees sagging while her desires raged within, Ana panicked. "Please, Sir..._please, no_..." she beseeched.

He placed his finger over her lips, lingering as he played over her mouth. "I told you we'd go easy tonight, Miss Steele. And I'm a man of my word..."

Pressing her mouth against his finger, Ana wanted nothing more than to just take it between her lips...but she knew there would be consequences. The ring of the doorbell saved her from temptation, but brought on an onslaught of other conflicting incentives.

"I believe we have a visitor, Miss Steele," Christian said at last, nodding toward the door. It was apparent that he had no intentions to follow behind Ana.

Everyone in the neighborhood seemed to know Claudio - the very young and very handsome deli delivery guy with his caramel skin and sleek black hair that feathered around his face. Kate had pointed out that every cougar within a five-block radius had their eyes on him, and she also wondered if he might be making a little bit of money on the side for "other" favors. While Ana wasn't so sure of those claims, she couldn't deny that he was indeed adorable.

However, that night, Ana had eyes for one man alone. And he was getting impatient for her to finish her task as she took the tiniest steps and the longest route to the foyer.

"How are you this evening, Miss Ana?" Claudio asked when she timidly opened the door. "It's the weekend!"

As she accepted the small brown paper bag, she hoped he didn't know what was inside...and she prayed he couldn't feel the heat from the burn of the brushfire sparking from every last nerve cell in her body.

Behind her, Christian watched the wiggle of her little backside, the scuffing of her feet...the oh so uncomfortable swagger of her hips as Ana clung to the half-open door like a warrior in battle to his shield.

"Yes, it's Friday night," Ana said, and placed the hundred dollar bill in his hand. "And thank you, Claudio..."

Claudio's eyes widened with surprise as he realized the money in his hand was no twenty dollar bill. Pulling out his wad of cash to try to make change, he said, "Miss Ana, I don't know if I have enough..."

"No, please, Claudio - it's yours," she insisted, pushing ever so gently against the his hand. She had to get rid of him_...soon_!

"Ahh, thank you, Miss Ana - so generous..."

"You're quite welcome..." she attempted to smile. _Now, leave!_

"Miss Kate - she's in the Hamptons this weekend?" he asked.

_Dammit_, Ana cursed him silently. That slow-burning need that caught fire the previous Friday night and continued to fan into an inferno throughout the week had now reduced her to a mere pile of cinders...and Claudio wanted to chitchat.

"She'll be back Sunday," Ana said, scrambling for an excuse to close and lock the door. "And...ooops, I think I hear my phone ringing! Good night, Claudio..."

"You have a good time tonight," Claudio said with a wink. "A very good time..."

Once she finally closed the door, she slammed her back against it, feeling the cold metal against her bare shoulders. Eyes locked with Christian's from across the room, Ana was certain that her own gaze mirrored the raw intensity in his own.

"Most expensive condoms I've ever bought in my life." Christian stood from his post at last and crossed his arms. "You better make it worth it, Miss Steele."

There was simply no way that Ana could move from her spot at the door. Sinking further down, she could only utter a weak moan.

"Now, was that humiliating enough for you, Ana?" he said as he began his leisurely stroll across the room toward her, following the same route that Ana had just taken moments earlier.

"Yes, Sir," she choked the words from her throat.

"But you enjoyed every second of it, didn't you?" he challenged her yet again.

Head hung in shame and chagrin, she simply couldn't answer him - her thoughts were clouded by the sudden wantonness that consumed her. However, Ana knew this was a test - a final affirmation of her desire to submit.

"I need you, Christian..." was all Ana could muster, the erratic tremor of each breath increasing with every step he took closer.

"Oh, do you now, baby?" he took such a apathetic tone with her.

"Yes, Sir..." Ana's lips puckered as she followed his every leisurely step. "Very much so..."

At last Christian reached her and left no distance between them. With a gentle thrust of his hips against her belly, he whispered directly into her ear. "You feel that, Ana?" he demanded. "That's_...need_..."

With only his thumbs he pressed so delicately against the underside of her breasts, simultaneously tugging the bodice of her dress downward with the clinch of his expert fingers. Mouth slackened with his hunger to taste every last inch of her flawless porcelain skin, his mouth closed around one perfect, ripe bud and lapped ever so slightly with the tip of his tongue...the nibble of his teeth.

The small paper delivery bag dropped to the floor from Ana's weak grasp as she dared to pull him closer, weaving her fingers into his thick copper hair.

A guttural sound that Ana didn't recognize left her lips as he pulled his own away, only to grind closer to her with the pressure of his obvious arousal between them.

"I told you that I'm being easy on you tonight." His voice was harsh and hoarse, rasping against her ear. "I'm going to suspend the rules - but just for this evening. Understand?"

"Yes...Christian...yes, **_Sir..."_**Ana could barely remember her own name at that frenzied moment.

"No more Sir tonight," his lips cascaded over her shoulder, then swept carefully down her arm, stopping to linger at the ticklish skin inside her elbow, then gliding down to her wrist. All the while, he continued to speak softly, "No orgasm control...no obedience lessons...no games..."

"Just...tonight...?"

"Yes, Anastasia, _just tonight_," he groaned, burying his face in the nap of her neck, his tongue continuing to tease. "We have tomorrow..."

"Tomorrow..." she repeated, eyes rolling upward as she struggled with herself to stand.

"Baby, look at me..." His hands caught her face, subduing her for a moment to catch her attention. "You're sure this is what you want - _what you need_?"

"Yes..." She allowed herself to fall into the strength of his chest. "**_Yes_**..."

Effortlessly, her lifted Ana's tiny frame into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist, then splayed his hands over her back and her squiggling bottom to brace her from falling. By instinct, he wanted to command her to hold still - force her back into the dizziness of her submission with his orders and restraints. Just the thought of Ana bound to his bed was enough to send him reeling right over the cliff...but for once in his life...Christian decidedly broke his own meticulous rules.

"What are you doing?" she questioned, but not in protest. "Where are we going?"

Lips brushing over her temple, he whispered, "We are heading to your bedroom, Anastasia," he whispered, "and we're going to make love...together...tonight..."


	22. Chapter 22

**Note**: You know I love my cliffhangers, but please - nobody freak out at the end of this chapter! :o) Next chapter will be on the way shortly - so _**KEEP READING**_. I won't keep you hanging for long.

_**Chapter Twenty-Two**_  
Almost with reverence, Christian laid Ana down on her bed, taking care to rest her head on a stack of thick pillows, and sighed as he looked upon her - with her eyes shut tight and lips slackened as she rubbed her thighs together in angst, thrashing around on top of the black and white toile duvet. Her breasts swelled over the bodice of her dress - trapped just as Christian had left them when he'd lifted them from her bra only minutes before, her nipples begging for his attention once again. She'd completely forgotten her modesty, and didn't even flinch when she opened her eyes to catch him looking at her with such hunger in his eyes.

"Ana," he said, taking her hand and patting it. He almost groaned out loud, thinking about the restraints he'd need to use on her someday so very soon. She was going to be - much to his most sinister delight - so _very_ tough to control. "I'll be back in one minute..."

"No, don't go away..." Ana twisted and turned, as she pleaded.

But he turned anyway, leaving Ana alone with the tortuous urgencies that ravaged her body. In a matter of hours, she had committed to submission and struggled though her first punishment, all the while so deliciously reveling in humiliation...all at the hands of Christian Grey, who still hadn't bothered to kiss her that evening.

Ana knew he was being excessively accommodating with her that evening. She'd almost thought there was a trickle of tenderness filtering through that stone veneer of his emotions. Yet since Christian opened her mind to so many illicit possibilities, she craved so much more. She wanted him...wanted nothing more than to make love with him...but it was his daringly dangerous side that left her unhinged.

"I believe you dropped something, Anastasia," he said when he returned and sat down on the bed next to her, and held up their precious delivery bag. "If we were playing, you'd be in big trouble for this - but we're not..." He leaned just a little closer to her, his hand barely touching her skin as he caressed her cheek. "In fact, I want _you_ to tell me what you want this evening..."

Even in permitting Ana to have a voice in her own desires that night, Christian continued to exert his control, drawing her into a comfort zone just to experiment with her limits and needs.

"Kisses..." she whispered so very simply.

"Kisses..." he mused, inching nearer. With ease, he moved over her, hovering, and placed one single chaste peck on her mouth. "Another?"

"Oh..._yes_..."

Claiming her once more, he deepened the kiss only slightly, tickling the inside of her upper lip with the tip of his tongue.

"Mmmm..." Ana purred.

"Enough?" Christian asked.

"More..."

"Oh, like _this_...?"

As his mouth caught hers yet a third time, Ana clung to him with insatiable hunger while he crushed his lips against her. His assault was almost bruising, heightening her already fiery senses as his tongue played against the tenderness of her gums and glided over her teeth, then dueled with Ana's in a war fueled by pure passion. Each time Christian tried to stray - to her cheek, her neck, her closed eyes - Ana brought him back with a demanding vengeance, indulging in the kisses that were too few and far between.

With a suddenness Ana hadn't anticipated, Christian covered her body with his, pressing her deep into the mattress, still kissing her all the while. Hand skimming so carefully up the inside of her silken thigh, tugging the skirt of her dress upward with his slow crawl, he continued to taunt and tease.

"Now, what do you want, baby?"

Breathless, she labored once more to speak. "Touch me, please..."

"Touch you _where,_ Anastasia?"

"You _know_..." _Oh, please put me out of my misery!_, she thought.

"No, I don't know," he whispered, feigning innocence, and placed his hand in hers. "Show me _where_..."

It was then Ana opened her eyes, wide with shock, and dropped her jaw. She knew that Christian could feel her fingers trembling. He exhorted his authority once again - preparing her for the greater scope of what he expected from her. So far she'd signed nothing but a non-disclosure agreement, but she felt as if she were already bound to him, enslaved in his every whim.

Cautiously, she led his hand back down to her inner thigh and followed the same path he had taken, daring to crawl higher...and higher...until their fingers touched the elastic band around her leg. She could see his smile increasingly widen as she stopped...then crept closer and closer to their target.

"Ahh," he rasped, his finger pressing against the tiny wisp of lace and silk concealing that swollen core of her present existence. "You're dripping like a leaky faucet, Anastasia. If I take your panties off, you're going to have a little puddle on your mattress."

"Christian," she managed through gritted teeth, "_**take them...off...now...**_"

"Your wish - my command, baby..."

Slipping the tiny strip of silk over and down her thighs, his fingers continued to tease over her knees and calves, then tickling her ankles before he finally tugged them over her feet. Easing her up to sit, he caught the cloak of confusion and anticipation in Ana's innocent blue eyes, then unzipped her dress and tossed it beside the bed. Her bra followed, joining the rest of her clothes on the floor. All the while, Ana remained acutely aware of the fact that he was still fully clothed.

Sitting back, Christian bathed her with those grey eyes, his breath catching as he minded the soft swell of her breasts, the tiny taut nipples and the curve of her hips. Urging her legs open, he simply sighed. And ever so deftly, his hand found its way back to where his travels began.

Ana leaned back on her elbows as she felt the gentle pressure of his finger - circling, rubbing...pulling - while he cupped her breast, pushing upward to allot himself easy access to her nipple that he suckled into his own greedy mouth. Clutching the duvet beneath her with both hands, Ana could feel all of her frustrations and pent-up needs awakening under the manipulation of his finger and his lips.

Writhing against him, Ana could feel a pulse stirring in her tummy, building with his continued efforts. As she bucked against him, biting her lip to no avail, that sensation intensified, fluttered - gripping her gut in the ferocity of her need for release, and radiated to the sweet spot that Christian continued to tease.

"You are so close, baby," his husky voice murmured, tingling against her breast. "Give me your first orgasm, Ana..._**give it to me**_..."

Christian's order was Ana's absolute downfall, obliterating every last inhibition she harbored. Her peak - so fast and furious - captured Ana in vise of continuous sensation, descending from the tips of her breasts, burrowing into her belly and leaving her trembling in its wake as she unraveled at the mere tips of his fingers.

"You are _mine,_ Anastasia..." His lips bore down on Ana's mouth savagely, bruising her with the mark of his own unfulfilled passion for her. "Mine, Ana..._all...mine_..."

Her eyes, so heavy now with the heady mix of exhilaration and exhaustion from her release, opened to find Christian's glare, dazed with a maddening tension that almost frightened her. Yet he held her and kissed her lips so very delicately, touching her so very cautiously as if he were handling a fine porcelain antique. All the while, he hoped Ana was still too naive to notice the fears he struggled to mask - the darker need for control that he sought so desperately to suppress for just one night.

"You OK, baby?" He tangled kisses in her chestnut locks that were now dangling wild and wispy about her shoulders. He could feel her nod against his chest, and he winced slightly, then squeezed her tight to cover his own insecurity. Framing her face with his hands, he murmured, "You ready for more?"

"I think so..."

"You think?" he questioned, "or you _are_?"

"Yes, Christian," she whispered, "I'm ready..._now_..."

He took his leisurely time as his fingers worked at the button on his jeans, his purpose twofold in his need to make Ana wait and his own reluctance to delve into Fifty Shades of Hearts and Flowers. Christian needed to continually remind himself that this was only one night - that Ana was so ready to head down that dark tunnel with him - as he slowly worked the zipper, then kicked his jeans off in the heap of Ana's clothes on the floor.

He couldn't ignore her wide eyed innocence as he hooked his thumbs into his boxer briefs...nor could he close his eyes to that damn bottom lip she seemed to be biting in anticipation.

Ana clenched her teeth into her lips, grimacing at the pain as her mouth was still so very tender from his kisses. The tiniest gasp caught in her throat as he pealed away the boxers, and she could sense that now familiar feeling budding again between her legs.

Tilting her head to the side, she watched as his expert hands tore open the condom packet and rolled it along the long length of himself, all the while wanting to reach out and touch him.

Gingerly, he crawled into bed beside her, taking a moment to smooth his hands over her breasts, then lunged over her tiny body to hover over her. Ana could resist her urge no longer, and reached out - timid at the last - and looked up at Christian, her eyes questioning him with her innocence.

With a slow nod, Christian whispered. "You can touch me there, baby..."

So very cautiously, Ana caught him in her gentle hand, inquisitively stroking the long length of him. She couldn't fight the nervous laugh that tickled deep in her throat. He wasn't kidding when he told her to order the extra large condoms.

The sounds that escaped Christian's lips were inexplicable - throaty, almost animalistic groans - as he wrapped his hand around hers.

"Ana, baby...we're going to be in dangerous territory in a minute here," he muttered. "I need to be inside you...like...yesterday..."

Just as she opened her mouth to remind him to take off his shirt, he caught her lips again, kissing...kissing...and kissing until he was relatively certain that she was absolutely dizzy...then pushed against her in one sinuous thrust, filling her only slightly before he held himself so painstakingly still inside her.

"Oh...!" Ana cried out, her mouth gaping.

Christian's hesitant smile softened after the initial shock waned in her open blue eyes to a needy curiosity for more. Bracing himself on one arm, he wrapped his free hand around her hip, guiding her gently into this salacious dance with one slow thrust of his hips at a time.

For far too long, Ana's carnal education had been limited to that of the literary heroines in classic novels. She expected tremendous pain and a slaughterhouse full of blood staining the sheets while he hammered her from above, seeking only his own gratification.

However, there was nothing so horrible or drastic at all about this sexual milestone under the tutelage of Christian Grey. He took his time, wary of even her slightest reactions, and eased away the fleeting seconds of mild discomfort with the steady roll of his hips as he dared to inch deeper inside her with every excruciatingly slow plunge - kissing, nipping and teasing her with his ever curious mouth all the while.

As Ana easily fell into his rhythm, she reveled in each new sensation. For a moment, she had even managed to will herself to relax, stretching out just a little on the pillows beneath her and tilting head back, as Christian's lips tickled over her collarbone. Still tingling from the aftershocks of her first orgasm, however, Ana slipped readily into her need to indulge as the slow build of desire mounted again.

Tugging at his shirt collar, Ana felt his hand slip between them, tickling her again as he continued to drive her further into oblivion. Over and over, he urged her forward, upward, with each meticulous push, every sweep of his lips over her fevered skin. All the while, he watched her so closely, almost reverently, as she met his own vigor at last with her own, opening her legs wider, then wrapping them around his waist to accept him wholly and completely.

"Ana, baby..." he groaned, his whisper thundering against her ear. "You're going to come...and you're going to come _with me_..."

"Ohhh..."

"Right..." he gasped, nearly choking on his own breath, "..._now_!"

Shaking and shuddering against him, Ana let go, seeking gratification not in her own pleasure, but in the comfort of Christian's own untamed catharsis. She opened her eyes to find him staring so intensely back at her, as if he were searching for her soul in those final moments of splendor.

As their breaths slowly became one, Christian slowly moved away, only to sit and pull Ana into his lap.

"Are you sore?" he nuzzled his nose to hers.

"Only in the most delicious sense of the word." Ana couldn't resist the urge to ruffle her fingers through his already messy hair. "And was that 'vanilla' thing so bad?"

"OK, Anastasia," he said, his voice sharpening, "_maybe_ once a week - but we'll have to negotiate on that...a reward for good behavior, perhaps."

"Can I tell you a secret?"

"What, silly baby?"

Burying her head in his neck to cover her own face, she whispered, "That punishment was kinda fun..."

"_Naughty_ silly baby..." he muttered, his tongue playing against her earlobe. "Not to worry - I have a whole list of indiscretions that I've been keeping this week. I think we can keep you - entertained - for quite some time."

"And I must also say," Ana whispered against him, "that I stand corrected."

His lips mused in a smile against the top of her head. "About what?"

"That whole orgasm control thing...I believe I'm at your complete mercy now, Sir..."

"See how much you've learned already, Miss Steele?" A quick kiss to her temple, and he eased a protesting Ana from his lap. "Shhh," he soothed. "I'll be right back."

Quickly, he pulled on his boxer briefs then headed out of her bedroom with the same swiftness, and Ana turned on her side and clutched her pillow, watching the door for his return.

She could hear him in the bathroom - the sound of water running - as she made her attempt to return to reality. Perhaps their arrangement - or whatever he now deemed to call it - wasn't a conventional relationship, but Ana already knew she was starved for another taste of what he'd served to her that evening.

Just as she thought she might doze off in her sleepy, sated and surreal state, Christian was back in bed beside her, his hands caressing over her neck and shoulders, massaging with those practiced fingers, before skimming over her hips and thighs and between her legs once more. "Open them, baby..."

"Again?" she whispered lazily.

"Remember what I said earlier about self-control, Miss Steele," he warned. "After tonight, I think that's what we really need to hone in on with your training..."

"Then what_ are_ you doing now, Mr. Grey?" she murmured.

"Cleaning you up and taking care of you." Then he added, just to remind her, "It's what any good Dominant would do for his submissive..."

Ever so gently, he pressed a warm wet washcloth against her, eliciting a the roll of a gentle purr from a slightly fidgety Ana. The sensation was so comforting, his action so affectionate, and slowly, as he rubbed the velvety cloth against her still tender center, he calmed her from the possibility of another burgeoning storm.

"You do," he bent forward for another quick kiss on her lips, "need to have this blanket dry cleaned in the morning, Anastasia."

"Oops!" she giggled.

"It's not that bad," he assured her. "You sure you're feeling OK?"

"I'm quite fine, but thank you - for taking care of me," she said. "And what about you?"

"Oh, Anastasia...I think I'm feeling pretty fine right now, too," he said, pulling her against him once more. "Now, let's get some rest, baby. You've had a very long and trying night."

Within minutes, Ana was asleep in his arms.

###

Ana awakened some time much later, having never felt so serene in all of her twenty-one years. Stretching out, her first thought was of Christian...yet when she patted the bed beside her...the space was empty.

He'd somehow managed to tuck her in while she was deep in slumber, and she grabbed the stained duvet to cover herself as she climbed out of bed.

First she peaked into the bathroom, thinking maybe she'd find him brushing his teeth before bed...but the light was out - he wasn't in there.

Panic gripped her for a fierce second, and she hoped her worst fear wasn't about to unfold. Carefully, she tiptoed down the short hallway toward the living room, thinking for sure that he couldn't sleep - decided to watch some television - and likely passed out on the couch.

There was no one in the living room. Or the kitchen.

_Christian Grey was gone..._

Just as quickly as she'd tripped into his life - into his maddening web of danger, and, now, his lies - she'd been mitigated to the sidelines with the other fifteen.

Devastated beyond words, Ana felt her knees weaken, and she slumped down into the overstuffed arm chair. He left her. He had his kinky fun...took her virginity...then walked out of her life without explanation _while she slept._

Crestfallen, she pulled her knees up and hugged herself tight, curling into the fetal position in the darkness of the living room under the folds of her blanket. The stark audacity of the entire situation left her feeling so cold and empty in that tiny, lonely apartment.

She was at a loss for everything - emotions, words, deeds. Nothing -_ no one_ - could lift the heaviness of the weight that bore into her heart at that very isolating moment.

No matter how much she hurt, however, Anastasia Steele refused to shed one single tear over Christian Grey.


	23. Chapter 23

_**Chapter Twenty-Three**_  
Hurt and sadness all too quickly evolved into anger, and Ana pushed herself out of the comfortable chair only to storm off to her bedroom. She wasn't about to sit around all day in mourning. She couldn't believe the audacity - _the ego!_ - of that man to just walk out on her like that in the middle of the night.

Ire burned steady and slow within her blood, and just as she moved to retrieve her iPad to shoot him the nastiest - albeit eloquent - e-mail ever written...she found a note, penned in that unmistakable elegant script tucked in plain sight on her nightstand.

_My dearest baby,_  
_I had to go, but you were sleeping so sweetly, I didn't have the heart to wake you._

_You were such a good girl this evening, and you pleased me greatly. Your agreement to your submission has left me so refreshingly thrilled, and I can't wait to unveil my plans for you._

_See you this afternoon at my place. Taylor will pick you up at noon. The Red Room of Pain is at your disposal._

_Don't be late..._  
_Sir_

"Bastard!" she laughed - borne more in frustration than in humor - as she shook the note in the grip of her fist before reading it a second time. She simply could never stay mad at him for long; however, Ana wasn't about to let him off the hook yet.

Quite possibly, Christian had some business issue to deal with - she did know that he often worked so very late into the night, controlling his empire - but even such an urgency didn't leave him an excuse for simply bailing on her. He had enough time to write her a note, she reasoned.

Ana wasn't about to let this ball drop so easily. While his apology was so typically Fifty Shades of Charming, she maintained her right to feel more than slightly peeved.

To her iPad, Ana took, firing up her e-mail as she sat on the edge of her bed, still wrapped up in nothing but her duvet.

_**From: Anastasia Steele**_  
_**Subject: Bewitched, Bothered...and Bewildered...**_  
_**Date: June 15, 2013, 04:52**_  
_**To: Christian Grey**_

_Dearest Sir,_  
_I've just awakened from the most glorious, middle-of-the-night nap and still find myself deliriously entranced by the vivid dream that played out in my slumber._

_In my dream, there was a striking, witty gentleman with a head full of copper hair and the most enigmatic grey eyes that held me in his thrall._

_He was a powerful man of the world, and branded his stamp of control wherever his travels took him...however, in this dream, my attraction was not to his wealth or to his power...but to the charms he so graciously bestowed upon me - a mere small-town girl who found herself lost in the jungle of the big city...until he offered his guidance._

_While he wined and dined me, I allowed myself to submit to his Rasputin-like appeal, and I eagerly consented to his will._

_He would later punish me for my mistakes...then make love to me with the utmost tenderness, wrapping me in the sweet folds of his affection. He held me in his arms, and kissed and coddled me, and I never felt so adored in my short lifetime._

_Then I stirred from my sleep, only to realize that I was alone._

_Was it real? Or were the last few hours merely a figment of my imagination? A reverie?_

_Please advise..._

_Ever curious,_  
_Baby_

_Anastasia Steele_

Tossing her iPad to the side, Ana fell back on the bed, thinking about how he'd just made love to her in that very spot. She couldn't escape the longing nag that tugged at her needs. She'd hoped that he would be there - that he'd make love to her again...or perhaps even issue another punishment. However, he managed to squelch all of her assumptions with his disappearance.

She guessed that she probably wouldn't hear from him again until the sun had risen. His note was only a small comfort for a young woman who'd just given up her virginity to him. Perhaps, that, though, was a bigger deal to women than men, she tried to persuade herself. However, Christian himself seemed to convince her that it was a rather monumental moment for him, too.

Much to her surprise, a response from Christian popped up on her screen, illuminating the dimly lit room. Her fingers raced to open his reply.

_**From: Christian Grey**_  
_**Subject: Curiosity Killed the Cat...**_  
_**Date: June 15, 2013, 05:03**_  
_**To: Anastasia Steele**_

_Sweet Baby:_  
_Please do not fret. I had something that required my urgent attention, and I honestly didn't want to awaken you when I left. The serenity on your sleeping face was almost angelic, and I'm not a man to disturb the pure beauty of nature._

_Meanwhile, you need to go to bed NOW, as I have plans for us this afternoon._

_If you're tired and grumpy, I shall be forced to put Baby in the corner. (However, given how the events unfolded last night, I suspect Baby would go willingly and thoroughly enjoy herself.)_

_Looking forward to this afternoon..._  
_Sir Rasputin _  
_Christian Grey_  
_CEO, Grey Enterprise Holdings, Inc._  
_PS Don't forget to take your comforter to the dry cleaner in this morning._

Ana didn't answer him back, but she knew she wasn't about to fall back to sleep. She still didn't understand what could possibly require his immediate attention on a summer Saturday morning, but then again, Ana had no concept of high-stakes business ventures. Really, she had no clue at all as to how Christian spent his days at the office.

With a sigh, she forced herself out of bed, deciding that a steaming shower followed by a hot cup of tea might lighten her mood. In spite of her fears over working with Elena, Ana actually couldn't wait to start her new job the following Tuesday. She hated sitting around, thinking up things to do, and there were times when even she felt as if one could only read so many books.

Work, Ana decided, would be the perfect distraction from one Christian Grey.

Ana's time that morning was well spent, hiding the box of condoms underneath a pile of sweaters in her bottom dresser drawer and scouring her room for any other tell-tale signs of sex. Katherine Agnes Kavanagh never missed a trick...and Ana wanted to hide any and every trace of just how she spent the weekend while her roomie was away.

The duvet, however, was another matter in itself - a drama of almost epic proportions.

Naturally, she wanted to hide that damn blanket away from the world as she walked to the dry cleaner on the far corner of the next block - which would take her all of about two minutes in total, even if she hit a stoplight on her way. The clear plastic zipper bag in which the duvet was originally packaged just simply wouldn't do - even if she folded the stain on the inside, Ana still knew it was there. And she wasn't one to just run down a random street in Manhattan, holding up the evidence that screamed, "Hey - I just lost my virginity last night to the city's most unattainable bachelor!" for all passersby to gawk.

First, she'd stuffed said duvet in one of the white garbage bags Kate kept under the sink. However, the transparency was a little too sharp for Ana's liking. Decidedly, she needed a black garbage bag to hide her secret away from the world. That, of course, meant a trip to the deli.

The second she stepped foot into the tiny store, Christian's punishment continued to ensue. There was Claudio - leaning against the Hostess rack of cookies and cupcakes - grinning like a Cheshire cat as he waited for his next delivery.

_Did he ever sleep_?, Ana wondered as she nodded in a quick greeting to him. Tossing her head back, she shrugged off the flush of her face and laughed to herself. He must have been on Christian's payroll and following Taylor's schedule! _Claudio, oh, Claudio...,_ she thought, _I cannot speak to you this morning..._

Inside, she cackled, as the second wind from her lack of sleep began to settle over her.

Plucking the last box of trash bags from the shelf, Ana smiled triumphantly, and marched to the cashier to pay. She decided to forgo the egg sandwich she'd been starving for, and just hurried home with her package.

Once inside the door of her apartment, Ana minded the time. She had an hour and a half to prepare for their latest adventure and had no idea - yet again - what to wear to his mystery locale.

Much to her own dismay, Anastasia Steele needed some guidance yet again.

_**From: Anastasia Steele**_  
_**Subject: Please Advise...**_  
_**Date: June 15, 2013, 10:27**_  
_**To: Christian Grey**_

_Dear Sir:_  
_I have traversed through my morning, muddling through my mundane tasks. All clues relating to the events of evening past have been disguised from the critical eye of the reporter who shall return home tomorrow._

_However, I remain at a loss as to what I should possibly wear today. Shall we make it a casual or formal affair? I shall not beg to negotiate - the attire is yours to choose. Simply let me know what would be appropriate for your plans this afternoon - if we're still on._

_Complexed by couture,_  
_AS_

_Anastasia Steele_

The moment she hit send, she cursed herself. After last night, she shouldn't have wasted the energy on caring. However, Ana didn't have time to ponder her own behavior. Christian's response was immediate.

_**From: Christian Grey**_  
_**Subject: Fashionably Late**_  
_**Date: June 15, 2013, 10:29**_  
_**To: Anastasia Steele**_

_Dear Complexed:_  
_Why would you think I'd cancel on you?_

_Casual attire is fine..._

_...as long as you "forget" to wear your bra and panties. Less is so often more._

_Now, get ready - Taylor is coming for you at one. Tardiness, as you know, is unacceptable._

_Waiting with anticipation,_  
_Sir_  
_Christian Grey_  
_CEO, Grey Enterprise Holdings, Inc._

That Saturday was just a strange, strange day. Life seemed to linger somewhere between absolutely ordinary and utterly extraordinary for one Anastasia Steele.

Dutifully, she'd finished her tasks for the morning. She dropped off that damn duvet, only to be warned that it wouldn't be ready until Monday. Already, Ana began devising plans to keep Kate out of her room to prevent her from asking any questions. Christian Grey had managed to paralyze her with fear of her own best friend!

Meandering through the rest of her routine, she returned to the apartment, and decidedly made a mess in her bedroom as she chose the perfect outfit for that afternoon. She'd play by his rules, but added a couple of her own to the confounding mix.

Ana did indeed forgo lingerie to satisfy his quirk for kink. However, she planned to make him so absolutely parched in his desire for her while she grilled him on his peculiar ways.

Skinny dark blue jeans and a tight, white t-shirt that was just a half size too small from a mishap in the dryer would likely make him squirm. Ana's own arousal had already begun to build again as she pictured Christian sitting on that couch in the great room, anticipating an afternoon of play, only to be met with the tempting tips of her nipples poking against the cotton tee as she berated him for being such a pompous ass just hours ago.

Taylor was, of course, waiting for her downstairs, and Ana allowed herself only a moment of embarrassment before ire took over yet again. Certainly, he had to know about Christian's proclivities. She just hoped he had the wherewithal to ignore.

When she'd arrived at Christian's building, there was yet another security guard waiting in the lobby to navigate her through the passcodes that would allot her access to the penthouse. She was tired and weak, yet angry and so alive.

Mrs. Jones, Christian's beloved maid of whom she'd heard him speak so fondly, met her in the foyer, welcoming her back to Fort Grey. "Miss Steele, Mr. Grey's been expecting you," she said with a smile. "Let me show you to his study. In fact, _his mother_ is visiting right now."

All Ana could think of was the horrifying notion that she was wearing a thin white t-shirt without a bra - per her son's explicit behest. She froze in her tracks.

Under normal circumstances, Ana would have taken the time to chat with Mrs. Jones - make small talk and perhaps even offer an earnest attempt to gain her trust in the twisted web of one Mr. Grey. However, her thoughts were paralyzed, stunned yet once again into submission with the issues of the maddening circle of the present...situation.

Mrs. Jones stepped first into the study, which reminded Ana just a bit of The Red Room of Pain with its fine paneled walls and thick, carved mahogany furniture and fittings. _Red Room 2.0_, Ana thought, _sans accoutrements._

Behind his desk, perched against the wall of windows that showcased the panorama of Central Park and Strawberry Fields, Christian smiled, squinted his eyes and exhaled so very deeply, as Ana stepped so hesitantly into the den. For the Fifty-Millionth time in a week, Ana felt like she wanted to just throw the hell up.

"Ana..." Christian's voice, unexpectedly light and playful echoed through the room. His eyes darted immediately to her chest, then he looked away to catch his mother's attention. "Anastasia Steel, please meet my mother, Grace Trevlyan-Grey..."

The warmth of wide soft hazel eyes turned their attention directly toward Ana, and all she could think was that this lovely. elegant woman had been Kate's pediatrician...and that her breasts were so obviously on display.

Sucking her lip between her teeth, Ana made a vein attempt to smile curtly, swallowed whole by her chagrin, then crossed one arm over her chest and extended the other to shake his mother's hand.

"Mrs. - er, Doctor Grey - so lovely to meet you..."

Once again, her punishment of humiliation continued...


	24. Chapter 24

_**Chapter Twenty-Four**_  
_Son of a Fifty Shades of Bitch,_ Ana swore in silence.

At what point, Ana wanted to know, did Christian know that his mother -_ his mother_ - would be popping in for a weekend afternoon visit - before he asked her to dress so scantily clad or after...?

"Oh, Ana..." Grace said as she stood up to brush her lips against Ana's cheek. "We've heard so many wonderful thing about you..."

And Ana just continued to smile, thinking how she knew so very little about his parents. Skeeved was the new awkward.

"Poor dear," Grace continued to coo, "you must have been mortified by that picture in the newspaper the other day. Are you doing alright with all of this?"

Although Ana sensed the sincerity in Grace's words, she wanted to just crawl underneath the desk and hide. "It's all fine," Ana said with a huge smile, and fought her urge to glare at Christian. In fact, she decided, she couldn't even look at him at that moment. "I've managed to remain anonymous - at least for now."

"I hear you're starting at Remington next week," Grace continued, seemingly unaware of Ana's breasts. "You know, Elena's an old acquaintance of mine..."

"Oh, _**really**_?" Ana said, intrigued by the fact that Christian never bothered to tell her - but he did take the time to discuss their week-old...arrangement...with his parents, something which Ana hadn't taken the time to tell her own.. Suddenly, Ana realized how he managed to make her assignments simply go away earlier in the week. Her own list of Christian's infractions seemed to grow with every passing minute. "I had _**no idea,**_Dr. Grey..."

"Yes," Grace said, "and I've heard she can be - well, a bit difficult to work for. But I'll be sure to put in a good word next time I see her."

"That's lovely of you," Ana said, finally allowing her eyes to drift toward Christian, who sat so ostensibly detached from the conversation in which she engaged with his mother. "I appreciate your gesture..."

"Well, listen, I don't want my unexpected visit this afternoon to cut into your plans," Grace said. "But Ana, I really hope we'll see you at our little summer soiree in the Hamptons in a couple of weeks. I think the rest of the Grey clan would love to meet you, too."

"She'll be there with me, Mother," Christian finally spoke, answering for Ana.

"I'll check my schedule, Dr. Grey," Ana corrected him gently while her anger escalated and raged within. Oh, this was going to be a delightful afternoon, Ana knew, but not the sort of fun Christian had anticipated.

"Well, dear, again, it was wonderful to meet you," Grace offered another peck to Ana's cheek as Christian slipped his arm around his mother's waist to guide her to the door. Ana could sense his impatience. Perhaps he actually realized just how ludicrously the situation had evolved.

"Hope to see you soon, Ana..."

As the door to the study closed, Ana tossed her handbag on the chair and took a seat on the widow sill, lying in wait for Christian's return. She didn't even know where the hell to begin. It seemed there wasn't enough time in the day to allow him a proper chance to explain himself.

Back to the door, Ana heard him rattle the knob.

"I am so very sor-"

"Why the hell didn't you tell me," Ana spun around so quickly that she was sure she'd kicked up a gale force wind as she moved, "that _**your mother**_ was here? You told me to leave the underwear at home. Was this another little scheme just to humiliate me?"

Apprehension, much to Ana's thrill, clouded those grey eyes. "I had no idea she was going to stop by today," he attempted to reassure her. "You were already in the building, Anastasia - literally steps behind her. In fact, I thought it was you when she arrived."

"You couldn't have radioed in to one of your damn security guards to stop me?" Ana stood up and crossed the room to meet him face-to-face. "You just let me stroll in here _like this_?"

"Ana, I - I had - I wasn't thinking, OK?" he admitted, and Ana knew just how much Christian Grey hated to confess his own failings. "I have _a lot_ on my mind this morning..."

"And I don't? What, Christian, you think that just because you're the head of one of the biggest companies in the world that your problems are so much greater than the little people like me?" she charged. "I'm torn up, too, today. Wondering why you neglected to tell me that you knew Elena...driving myself nuts because I'm still not sure why the hell you left me last night..."

"OK - for Elena, I'll apologize. I should have told you that she goes back pretty far with my mother," he said. "But I've already told you - twice - that last night was unavoidable, Ana."

"That's not good enough, Christian," she spat, holding her ground. "You can't just make some vague excuse and expect me to believe it just because I've agreed to be your submissive here. I might enjoy you bossing me around in bed, but let's not muddy the waters of reality here..."

"What more do you want, Anastasia?" he bellowed, his voice thundering throughout the room. "I offer you explanations, and you doubt every word that comes out of my mouth..."

"Well, right now, you're not giving me any reason to believe you..."

For the second time in less than twenty-four hours, she wanted to walk out on him. Whatever feelings she began to harbor for him had to be ignored. Yes, they had one amazing night together, but she couldn't allow a few sweet memories to cloud her rational thought. This turmoil - so razor sharp between them - had to end.

Without a word, she stomped over to the study door. Christian was right behind her, so close that she could feel his breath against her neck.

"What are you doing?" he demanded as he followed her into the great room and then on toward the foyer. "Anastasia, where are you going?"

"I'm done, Grey," she said, her hand on the front door. "I'll return the iPad to you when I get home."

Reaching for her arm, Christian closed his fingers slowly around her. "Ana, don't do this," he panicked. "Stay - let's talk about..."

"Nothing to talk about," Ana said, and pulled the door open before she added, "because you're incapable of communicating..."

"Ana, I-"

The second she slammed the door behind her, essentially locking herself out, Ana stopped, realizing with a twist in her gut that she'd left her handbag in Christian's office.

_Oh, $#!+_, Steele! Ana cursed herself._ $#!+, $#!+, $#!+!_


	25. Chapter 25

_**Chapter Twenty-Five**_  
"Forget something, Miss Steele?" Christian's voice suddenly burst through the speaker on the elevator panel that Ana hadn't noticed before. Just as she wondered how the hell he knew she was still there in the hallway between his door and the elevator, he continued, "There's a security camera on every side of you."

"You know damn well I did. Now, let me in..."

"Use the passcode," he suggested.

"I'm not privy to that top-secret number, Mr. Grey," Ana said against the closed door.

Finally, he opened the door. "19910190. It's your birthday backward, Ana," he said. "I thought I'd make it easy for you to remember..."

"I don't see any need in my immediate future to use it." She stealthy squeezed in between Christian and the door, determined to grab her bag and just leave. But just as easily, Christian blocked her path.

"We're going to talk before you go anywhere this afternoon."

"No," Ana insisted, but didn't bother to struggle against him, knowing she'd lose the battle, "there's nothing left to say."

"Fine, Ana - you win!" He threw his arms in the air in absolute defeat, then turned and stormed off to the living room, where he stretched out on the couch and put his legs up on the coffee table. "Steel - 1, Grey - 0. Happy?"

"What the hell are you talking about now?" she questioned.

He sunk further into the corner of the couch and buried his fingers in his hair, shielding his face. The sigh that hissed through his clenched teeth was so forceful that Ana felt caught beneath its weight.

"I left you last night because I couldn't handle it, Anastasia," he said at last. "That's not my norm - and it was so intense and..." He tugged at his hair again. "It was wrong, what I did - probably one of the worst decisions I've ever made in my life. And I hurt you unintentionally. But I-"

"You got scared..." Ana nodded slowly, uncertain of whether she wanted to slap him or hear him out.

"And I ran," he admitted. "Just like you tried to do last night - and just like you're doing right now."

Lips trembling, she closed her eyes and whispered, "Fair point, well made, Grey..."

One timid step at a time, Ana crossed the room. Her flats shuffling against the hardwood floors was the sole sound echoing against the heaviness that pervaded the expansive room. He reached out his arms, but she took a seat on the opposite end of the vast couch. She didn't want Christian to touch her - at least for the moment.

It was that afternoon that she'd confirmed her own suspicions that something so very sinister lurked behind in perhaps his not so distant past.

"Why is this so upsetting to you?" Ana wondered out loud.

"Because, Ana, it's unknown to me," he said. "I've never played soft. I never had to - until now."

"Just as you said to me, Christian, I'm not forcing you to do anything," she reminded him. "You have a choice - your own free will."

"It's all I know, Ana," he insisted. "From the time I was fifteen - this is the only game I've ever played..."

"_Fifteen_?" Ana questioned, thinking perhaps her tone was slightly accusatory. She barely knew what sex was at that age - let alone Christian's darker brand of lust.

"Let's just say that it was a much older woman who lured me in," he said.

"Th-that's child abuse..." Ana said immediately. Her face twisted with horror and concern, yet Christian remained cold, distant - almost emotionless. Just the thought made her stomach lurch. She knew there were so many deep-seeded issues on his end, but had no idea that the horrifying reality was so excruciatingly ugly. In fact, it inspired Ana to ponder why he felt so worthless - how he could have sunk to point where at the tender age of fifteen, he'd need to seek out such a repulsive dalliance. "It's rape..."

"Sure, it is," he agreed. "But when you're an awkward teenager, and have no friends...it's easy to fall in with anyone who will pay attention to you..."

"Christian, don't justify her behavior..."

"I'm not, Ana," he cleared his throat, "I'm explaining mine."

"Why didn't you ever say something - report her?" Ana needed to know.

"I just didn't-" He shook his head. "I couldn't..."

"I'm sorry," she said, rising up on her knees and crawling across the sofa toward him. Tentatively, she reached for his hand. "I'm so very sorry..."

"You..." He lifted her fingers to his lips and kissed them. "...have nothing to be sorry about..."

"So she was your first submissive?" Ana pressed further, daring to ask a question that sickened her with regret the second the words left her lips. However, she couldn't allow him to clam up - shut down - now. He was talking freely, disclosing secrets that Ana needed to know before they moved on any further.

"No, Ana, she was my Dominant," he corrected.

"Well, then - how...?" Ana stammered.

"It happens," he shrugged his shoulders. "Over time, slowly, I got disgusted with that - with our - relationship. I broke it off the summer before I went to Harvard. But I knew I couldn't give up that lifestyle. And I embraced it in the only way I knew how - to dominate...to control. And you, Anastasia Steel, are a frightening break from my norm..."

His revelation brought her no sense of lucidity or security. In fact, at moments, he seemed so completely detached, as if he were talking about someone else's life - only to lure her back with comments like that one. Ana had to ask, "Why? What's so different about me?"

"To start with, you're not a blonde," he smiled and lifted her hair with his fingers then skimmed them over her cheeks, "and they certainly weren't innocent like you..."

She wondered what his thing was for blondes, but she had other pressing questions to which she needed answers. "And what's so threatening about me?" she pressed him.

"You know nothing about this other part of my life," he began, "yet you're so curious to learn. It's a dangerous combination, Miss Steele.

"So..." Ana tried in vein to collect her spinning thoughts, "you're saying you no longer want...um, that sort of thing?"

Tossing his head against the back of the couch, he chuckled. "Oh, no, Ana, not at all," he said. "You've no idea how much I'm just dying to restrain you and swat that little ass of yours..."

_Ugh_, Ana groaned to herself. She loathed how easily he could divert her attentions with his sexual prowess...however, Ana wasn't about to give up so easily that afternoon.

"So this woman - the pedophile," Ana continued, "she's out of your life for good?"

Christian wavered, tossing his head from side to side. "For the most part..."

Ana felt her stomach turn again, shocked by his answer. "You still talk to her?"

"Only as necessity delegates," he assured her. "We run in the same circles. The last thing I need is for her to tell the world about my private life..."

"So you're sort of trapped?" Ana asked.

"I'm never trapped, Ana," he said, his smile bordering on vengeful. "By anyone or anything."

She wondered for a moment if that were supposed to be some sort of warning, but then let the thought drift away.

"I think I've told you enough for one afternoon, Miss Steele," he said suddenly and stood up from the couch. "And I'm betting that you haven't eaten yet today."

With everything that had been - and continued to overload her mind - Ana wondered how she could possibly even _think_ about food.

However dismissed Ana felt at that moment, though, she had to remind herself that Christian revealed a whole part of himself - of his life, of his tortured past - and she simply couldn't force him to say any more. There would be time to talk again, she hoped.

"Come, Ana," he said, taking her hand. "Mrs. Jones is preparing lunch for us...and I have a few things that I need to discuss with you now..."


	26. Chapter 26

_**Chapter Twenty-Six**_  
"So, it seems as if you two have already met," Christian said as they stepped into the kitchen where Mrs. Jones had been working hard, perfectly plating their pasta salad lunch. "Now you know the two most important women in my world, Anastasia. My mother and this wonderful woman who keeps this household organized and functional."

Ana watched as he chose a bottle from the wine chiller, and she couldn't resist a smile. Yes, she'd heard all of the fables about this Mary Poppins-like woman who kept and cared for him beyond the confines of the penthouse. Christian depended on her to keep his life running and, most importantly, to keep his confidence. Ana wondered what tales Mrs. Jones could tell, as she watched Christian maneuver the cork from the bottle.

That playful smile returned again, as Christian turned to make sure that Mrs. Jones wasn't looking and reached across the black granite countertop to pinch one of Ana's nipples through her shirt. With a start, Ana sat up straight, stifling her giggle of absolute shock. She opened her lips to retort, but the words simply stuck in her throat.

"Been waiting since you arrived for that one, Miss Steele..."

"You or me?" Ana teased.

"Both of us, I think," he mused, pouring the Sancerre.

When Christian took the seat on the stool next to Ana, she looked at him, her eyes imploring, and said, "Next time you have an idea like that one, please - please - let me know if any member of the Grey family shows up before I do..."

"Bad timing all around," he said. "But I don't even think she noticed."

The deep red flush of her cheeks and neck was a stark contrast with the white, almost see-through shirt, as his now jovial grey eyes continued to toy with her.

"So you told them about me?" Ana asked.

"Well, I sort of had to after that photo in the _Post_," he said. "And I would have sooner rather than later anyway, Ana."

Ana wanted to question him further, but Mrs. Jones was quick to interrupt. "Lunch is served, Mr. Grey, Miss Steele," she noted as she placed the two plates of whole wheat pasta and fresh vegetables in front of them. "Anything else for now?"

"Take the rest of the weekend off, Mrs. J.," Christian said. "Bloomies is having a sale, I hear. Go use my corporate card and do some damage."

"Well, thank you, Mr. Grey!" Mrs. Jones said. "But I couldn't use your..."

Christian pointed toward the door that separated the kitchen from the dining room and said, "Go!" Ana could sense that he clearly wanted to be alone with her. "I'll see you tomorrow evening..."

"Did you just bribe her?" Ana asked.

"No, I merely offered her an alternative to working on this gorgeous Saturday afternoon," he said. "I can be a kind Master when I want to be..."

_You make me crazy with your fluctuating mercury, Mr. Grey_, Ana thought. "She's one of the fifteen?" Ana played along.

"No, but she might have the power to make me into a Switch..."

"Switch to what?" Ana continued their silly game. "Hearts and flowers?"

"Oh, Ana..." He smiled and shook his head, then took a sip of wine. "A switch is someone who enjoys playing both the Dominant and the submissive roles - not at the same time, obviously..."

"Oh...?" His humor was lost on Ana. She poked at her pasta. She still didn't have an appetite.

"You, baby," Christian said suddenly, "had better eat your lunch."

"And if I don't?" Her blue eyes challenged his steely pair of grey. "Will you take me to the Red Room of Pain to punish me?"

"Oh, baby..." he groaned, as he held out his wine glass and traced the delicate crystal rim around her nipple. "I'll keep you _out_ of the Red Room if you don't eat..."

"Hmmm..." Ana murmured, her breathing labored as she watched him, circling and circling, the wine sloshing in the glass. "Mmmmm..."

Just as quickly, Christian moved his hand away and took another sip from the glass, his eyes watching Ana's all the while. "So sensitive you, are..." he complemented. "Now, you have to take at least ten bites before we wander upstairs. Understand?"

"Yes, Sir..." she lifted her fork to his lips, rising so quickly to his challenge.

"Good girl..." he whispered. "But first, we need to discuss a few details..."

"Such as?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, since we still haven't signed that contract yet, we do need to set some limits," he said.

"What about that contract, Mr. Grey?" she wondered out loud.

"Soon enough, Miss Steele. I just want you to be fully aware of what you're committing to - a gentle sampling, if you will - before I scare you with the paperwork," his eyes teased again over his glass. "But you do need to pick your safewords."

"How about..." Ana giggled at herself at the mere notion of negotiation. "Avocado...banana...and strawberry?"

"How about you stop laughing?" Suddenly, his merriment transcended to austerity. "This is very serious, Anastasia. And you can't just take this with a grain of salt - you could be injured if we don't work this out before we play. Last night, we kept it rather vanilla, and you still couldn't remember your own name. Let's keep it simple - red, yellow and green..."

Moderately dejected, she pouted her bottom lip, careful not to bite to disturb him further. "Yes, Sir..."

"What if I've gagged you, Ana?" he challenged. "What will we do then?"

"I..." She felt as if he were quizzing her just to see how much she'd studied up on her homework that week. "I...don't know...Sir..."

"Maybe you'll just have to trust me to check in with you during those moments of - incapacitation?"

Trust for Ana, however, was a two-way street, and she knew that neither one of them were quite there yet. She took a sip of wine and swallowed...hard. "How, Sir?"

"Perhaps I could take your hand?" he suggested and reached her hers. "You could squeeze it, if you're in distress?"

Catching her thumb and index finger, he lifted them to her breast, and clasped them around her already agitated bud, pinched them together, then returned her hand to her lap. Ana was certain that the quivers that quaked through her entire body were unmistakable to his naked eyes.

"That would work...Sir..."

"Take a bite, Anastasia," he encouraged, looking down at her plate. "You're wasting time this afternoon, and you have four more to go."

Oh, the hues of grey they'd already explored that afternoon - from anger to anguish with a fleeting moment of frivolity before his ultimate need for control returned. Perhaps they were both starved for a stroll along the precipice of peril.

"Make it to ten bites, and I'll make it worth your while, Miss Steele," he tempted. "A small reward before we visit the Red Room."

The art of manipulation, honed and practiced by Christian Grey, was not lost on his novice submissive. Carefully, she wound two strands of linguini around her fork, which she then methodically stabbed into a mushroom slice.

"Seven," she said, easing the fork to her lips, then chewing so very cautiously. The taste of Mrs. Jones' culinary talents, however, escaped Ana, as her intent wasn't to enjoy the meal, but simply finish her assigned task at hand.

"Eight..." Ana skewered a tiny floret of broccoli and one black olive, hoping that would satisfy Christian's definition of a bite, then washed it down with another sip of wine.

"Good..._**good**_...girl..." He refilled her glass, then his own, and settled back on the barstool, arms folded, to watch her. "Don't forget - there's fresh bread, too..."

Dutifully, Ana broke off a tiny piece of the crusty Italian bread, dipped it ever so gracefully in the seasoned olive oil, then bit down, chewed and swallowed with excruciating leisure. "Nine," she smiled triumphantly.

"One more," he reminded her. "Will you get your reward, Miss Steele?"

"Yes..." Twirling one last strand of pasta around her fork, Ana raised her eyes, batting her lashes as she accepted his challenge. "..._Sir_..."

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Anastasia..." he said as he hopped off the barstool to retrieve a dish towel from the linen closet. "It's almost as impolite as - wearing a white t-shirt without a bra to meet your Master's mother for the first time..."

A smirk of satisfaction played over Ana's lips as she watched him meticulously fold the white towel on the black granite countertop, wondering all the while what plans he had rolling through his filthy mind.

Creased with the perfection of the military, Christian held the towel in his hand and moved behind her on the barstool. "Now, remember last night when I told you that I wasn't going to hurt you with your punishment?"

"Yes, Sir - I remember." She nodded, her smile fading to an uncertain curiosity. "You didn't hurt me..."

"I'm going to promise you that again right now, Anastasia. I _will not_ hurt you," he said. "But I am going to blindfold you. Are you with me?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Now I don't think you'll need them, but just for good measure, I want you to tell me what your safewords are?"

"Green...yellow...and red, Sir."

"Good girl," he murmured, fastening the dish towel around her eyes and knotting it behind her head against her wispy brown hair. "_Use them if you need them_..."

Vision completely obstructed by the thick layers of the towel pressing against her closed eyes, Ana became acutely aware of his close presence behind her, the intake of her own breath and the shuffle of his feet on the white tiled floor.

He moved her hands to the armrests, palms down, his slightest touch heating Ana's skin. "Sit up very straight, baby," he said, the slightest pressure of his hands urging against her shoulders. "Arch your back for me..."

Ana could feel the thick material - a band of linen, perhaps - fold over the top of her wrist, binding her against the wooden arm. She could feel his fingers slip between, testing the strength of his knot. _Christian was tying her to the chair._

"I don't want you to lose your balance and fall on the floor, baby," he murmured, lips brushing against her temple. "OK so far?"

"Yes, Sir..."

He stepped away then, and Ana held herself as still as she possibly could against the gasps of her own breath, her mind reeling with anticipation. Trembling with desire that was laced with a trace of fear, she could feel the goose bumps rise on her arms, the shiver that slithered up her spine.

Then, he was behind her again, separated only by the back of the sturdy wooden stool. "Just take a deep breath," his lips returned to her ear, his words cool but coaxing. "Breathe, baby..."

Cupping her breasts, he gave them a tender squeeze, then, with the utmost delicacy, began to scrape his perfectly manicured nails just over the swollen tips of her nipples.

"I want you to come, Anastasia," he whispered, "as long - and as often - as you have to..."

As his fingers picked up their pace - gliding and scratching, razing her skin against the tight t-shirt - Ana reveled in this sweet torture that began over lunch. She could feel herself sliding against the slick wood of the chair as she struggled to flail her immobile arms, rocking her hips to and fro against the seat.

"What's your favorite color right now, baby?" he asked, easing his torment only slightly to settle her down.

"Green!" Ana panted, throwing her head back against his chest, only to be startled by his sudden and painful pinch of her nipples that sent her crawling to the very edge of the cliff. "Green..._Sir_..."

All he needed to say were those two entrancing words that transcended all senses, thoughts and feelings in Ana's present state of acute provocation: "_**Good...girl...**_"

Limbs suddenly slackening with the grip of pleasure that spiraled from the tips of her breasts, blazed through her belly and fluttered down through the core of her needs, she shrieked and thrashed about in the chair, struggling against the pull of her own wrists. Kicking her feet against the legs of the stool, she lost one of her flats. Yet Ana didn't care. She wanted more. She _needed_ more. And she allowed herself to succumb to the complete control of the man who held her clandestine desires in the tips of fingers, the brush of his lips, the intensity of his commands.

And dammit, she _couldn't_ stop those ripples of delight seizing her again...and again. Her knuckles white, clutching the chair...her shoulders popping...legs jerking so maniacally...

She had fallen into such a state of intensity that she almost couldn't breathe...

"It's code red, baby..." She could feel Christian's lips kissing her with such tenderness as she continued to grasp every single second of her orgasm that just seemed never ending. "Shh...baby...too much..."

The glare of the fluorescent kitchen lights burned against even her closed eyelids, as he removed the blindfold. Christian released one hand - then the other - and pulled Ana to his chest as she begged him for more. All the while, as she continued to tremble and moan in his arms, he kissed her hair, kissed her wrists - taking great care to check her for any marks made by her own scuffling hands.

"Stop, Ana," he ordered, his voice brimming with concern. His thumbs caressed her eyelids. His lips took hers in a slow and calming kiss. "Stop, baby - you need to settle."

When at last Ana's eyes fluttered open, he framed her face with his large, gentle hands, and whispered, "Do you understand why I had to restrain you?" At that moment, he couldn't give her too many kisses that she so desperately wanted and needed. "And then...why I had to _stop_ you?"

_Yes...no...maybe, __**Sir**__..._Ana couldn't answer him. she was far too dizzy to think - to speak.

"That was all about trust." He took her hands and kissed her fingers, one by one. "You wanted to play too hard - for right now. You wanted to go too far..."

"More...?" Ana whispered.

"In time, baby," he murmured and allowed Ana to wrap her legs around his waist - her arms around his neck - as she settled against his chest, calming herself by the furious thundering of his heartbeat against her cheek. "You need to settle down a bit...before we go upstairs."

"Upstairs..." she repeated, daring to unwittingly nuzzle against the soft hairs fanning over the opening of his button-down shirt.

"Soon," he promised, and eased himself backward just one step. "What do you need? Water? Wine?"

Ana giggled and batted her lashes as she looked up at him. "Milk and cookies..."

Christian smiled, feeling that little laugh of hers all the way to his groin. "Milk and cookies..." his voice was teasing, yet so calm in the midst of her aftershock. "I'll do anything to get you to eat, Miss Steele..."

"You can do - um - that..._again_...in the Red Room..."

"The Red Room of Pain shall be at your domain in a bit," he promised. "But for right now, baby, you have two very important decisions you need to make."

Ana's eyes widened, with desire and fright all over again.

"Whole milk, chocolate or strawberry?" Christian smiled at her, playing again. "And...chocolate chip...or Oreos...?"


	27. Chapter 27

_**Chapter Twenty-Seven**_

"_**OUCH**_!" Ana cried...

Heart thumping, Christian threw his hands in the air, grey eyes cluttered with concern and confusion. "Ana...baby...what?"

Lips pursed in a smile, she chuckled inwardly as Christian dropped the key to The Red Room of Pain.

"_Gotcha_!" Somewhere between ecstasy and Oreos, Ana had gained her second wind.

"Alright, Anastasia Rose," he said, bending down to retrieve the key. Once he stood, he pointed a stern finger in her face. "Don't _ever_ do that again when we're about to play...I could hurt you in ways I don't intend to..."

"I-I'm...I'm sorry, Christian," she stammered. "I...wasn't thinking..."

"Ana, so help me, if you're not going to take this seriously, let's not and say we did..."

"Christian, really..." Her big blue eyes implored him. "I was only trying to break the ice a little...ease the tension...don't..."

"You, baby, have no idea what tension is," he said, and slipped the key into the lock at last. "But I'm about to show you."

Upon her second introduction to his playroom, Ana heaved a sigh of almost relief, having forgone the fears that overwhelmed her just a week earlier. Now, although her wide-eyed curiosity was still evident, she wanted to touch - explore - play with Christian on his terms.

When he caught her in his arms, Ana held her breath. She knew there would be no kisses - at least for the moment - but she didn't need them.

He searched her eyes, digging for any traces of doubt, only to find a vivid eagerness that only enhanced her innocence. "Do you trust me enough now to play for a little while?"

"Yes," she heaved readily. "Yes, Sir, I do..."

"You're submitting to me tonight freely, Anastasia?"

"I am, Sir..."

Satisfaction, with more than a hint of tenderness, eased into his smile. "Now, we're still taking this slowly, and I've been honest with you as we've gone along so far," he reminded her. "This time, it's going to hurt."

"I understand that, Sir..."

"And your safewords are..."

Ana interrupted him, so anxious to impress. "Green, yellow and red..."

Dipping his head, he closed his mouth over her breast, still covered by her t-shirt, and bit down deep into her nipple. Wincing against him, Ana cried out.

"Green...yellow...and red..._Sir_..."

Suckling gently then - rewarding her for correcting her mistake - he murmured, "Good girl..." he said. "But don't ever interrupt me in here, understand?"

"Yes..." She closed her eyes and wavered in his arms. "...Sir..."

Releasing her, but still standing close enough to ensure that she didn't stumble and fall on her own two feet, Christian said, "I want you to undress now - though there's not a lot for you to remove - and I want you to kneel by the bed, on the floor, with your head down."

In truth, Ana couldn't wait to rip off her t-shirt. Her breasts were still so sensitive, ready to be plucked again, after his tender torture in the kitchen. In one swift movement, she lifted the shirt over her head, then tossed it on the floor, ready to tackle her jeans. Fumbling with the button, Ana reminded herself not to bite her lip, then tugged at the zipper. Wiggling her hips, she allowed the denim to shimmy down her legs, and kicked at her feet almost violently as she stepped out of them.

She stood for a moment, enjoying the look of gnawing need on his face, but turned immediately when Christian pointed his finger to direct her to the floor.

Carefully, she bent down, her knees scraping against the silk carpet, and dutifully dropped her head. She could feel Christian's hands on her back, pushing her further so that her breasts were flat against her thighs, her bottom just slightly raised - exposed for his viewing, her locks of long, silky brown hair fanning out over her back.

"Your jeans are soaked, Miss Steele. So much laundry to do with you around..." he taunted. She could hear his steps around the room, wondering what he was doing. "And just like a child - you didn't pick up your clothes once again..."

"I'm sorry, Sir..." Ana stirred at his reference to the previous evening when her dress, bra and panties disappeared to the floor.

"So what the hell am I going to do with you, Anastasia?" Christian muttered. Ana could feel him near again, but still couldn't see him from her vantage point. "I know you're new to all of this, but training you is certainly going to a Herculean effort on my part..."

He was walking again, and once more, Ana became aware of the heights to which her senses could climb when one was impaired, as was her line of vision from her spot with her head facing downward to the floor. There were some rattling noises, a scratch against the wall. Perhaps he'd fetched an implement - one from his impressive collection - to use upon her in play.

All the while, she wiggled her behind, so anxious as to what he planned to do to her next.

"Still yourself, Miss Steele," he ordered, and Ana could feel the gentle stroke of something soft, almost feathery, against her bottom. "Otherwise, I may have to restrain you again..."

The soft caresses of whatever he wielded in his grip glided up her back, tickled her shoulders, then swept down so delicately again, as Christian continued to disparage. "Sometimes, I think you're going to do such a great job as my submissive," he began, "but you really seem to enjoy testing the waters with me, Miss Steele. That sassy little mouth. The defiance. The inability to control yourself..."

As he sat down on the bed, his legs right next to a kneeling Ana, Christian ordered, "Get up now."

She had to rely on the bed to brace herself as she pushed upward, then stood beside him. Ana's eyes locked on the leather flogger in his hand.

"Before I punish you, Miss Steele, I want you to be aware of everything you've done this week to displease me..."

"Yes, Sir..."

"Now, remember what you did when we were having our little conversation about the NDA?" he questioned, but didn't give her the chance to respond. "You bit your lip. And do you know why that's an infraction, Miss Steele?"

"Because..." she struggled with her words. "Because it...because when I do it...it turns you on, Sir..."

"But then..." he said, waving the flogger, "...you did it again and again - even over e-mail - just to toy with me..."

"I'm sorry, Sir..."

"Oh, we'll see how sorry you'll be in a minute here," he retorted. "And speaking of e-mails, when I asked you to do some research, you were a minute late. You had more than enough time that evening to gather your thoughts on that insipid Wikipedia page. You know I won't tolerate tardiness."

"I know, Sir," she sniffed. While she had no intentions of crying, there was just something so demoralizing yet hot about standing in front of him without a stitch of clothing, listening to him rattle off the list of her indiscretions. Once again, Christian Grey had drawn her in, coercing her to play this role of the scolded submissive...and Ana couldn't resist to perform accordingly.

"I also don't appreciate assumptions, Miss Steele," he continued. "Like this morning - again over e-mail - when you just presumed that I was going to cancel on you today. Believe me...if I need - or want - to cancel, you'll know it. You won't have to ask."

"I just thought -"

"Hush," he warned, raising his index finger. "Proper manners, Miss Steele. If you're going to be my submissive, you need to have some respect for me. You've cut me off twice already since we walked into this room. Now stand still and pay attention."

The assault of his wicked words upon her senses made it so very difficult for Ana to stand. "Yes, Sir."

"And let's not forget that little scene outside the playroom door," he reminded her. "If you pulled something like that when we were at play, you could be hurt. I take your safety very seriously, and you need to do the same. Are you listening to me?"

"Yes," she squeaked. "Yes, Sir..."

"Good," he said, purposely denying her his usual pet name for her. "Now, I want you over my knees. And we're going to discuss the consequences."

The thrill that trickled up her spine as she crawled across the strength of his thighs sent shivers through her entire body. She squirmed against him, as he patted her bottom, fingers kneading and massaging.

"I'm going to spank you, but I'm going easy on you tonight - just twenty cracks in total." Ana never felt so small as she did at that moment, draped over Christian's lap. "Usually, you can expect five cracks for every misdeed."

"With the flogger?" she asked - begged.

"Absolutely not tonight. That's too much for right now," he said, prompting Ana's simper. "What? My hand isn't good enough for you?"

"Your hand is fine, Sir," she managed, still wiggling as his fingers continued their dance over her skin.

"Again, I'll suspend the rule for tonight, and you can come when you need to, but expect some lessons in control very soon," he warned. "Right now, you need to remain very still -" He took in a deep breath, overflowing with frustration. "-and you must use your safewords if you're in distress. If it's red, we stop immediately. Got it?"

"Yes, Sir!"

Christian's hand cracked against her bare bottom, scorching a hot sting over her skin as the sound echoed through the quiet room.

"Owww..." Ana wailed, reeling more from shock than pain.

He spanked her again, then once more, scattering his strikes to give her entire backside a rosy glow and eliciting a guttural moan from her with every whack. By the time he'd struck her five times, she was writhing against his lap.

Christian stopped. "How are we doing?"

She was so thankful that he'd taken a break, even if it was just for a moment, that she heaved a sigh of relief. She needed these seconds of absolute stillness just to regain a scrap of control.

Pressing her breasts, her nipples - so tender and raw from over-stimulation - into his thigh, she whimpered, "I'm fine...I mean...green. Green, _Sir_..."

"Good girl..."

From Ana's vantage point, she couldn't see the delighted smile on Christian's lips as he cracked her again, alternating with the sweet caress of his palms circling around the imprint of his hands all over her tender pale skin. Over and over he continued with his careful balance of pain and tenderness, inching her closer and closer to the edge with every strike.

Ana had been trying so hard to prove to him that she could contain herself - exert some self-control - but she was so desperate for release. Shaking, kicking and wiggling on his lap as he struck his fifteenth blow, she bellowed, "I'm coming, Christian..."

"That's it, baby..." He stopped once more, breathing ragged, as his fingers gripped her hips so tightly to break any potential fall. "Let it go for me..._let it go..._"

When she came, so fast and hard and sharp, she gasped with every shudder that claimed her, shocked by the ferocity of her own needs for fulfillment. Ana never imagined that the possibilities could seem so limitless for her own pleasure - that she could be throttled into such a state of ecstasy by her own pain.

After Ana settled, he continued to spank her through twenty swats, each crack intensifying the electric aftershocks of her orgasm. As she cried out once more with his final blow, Christian leaned over and kissed the top of her head.

"You did well," he rasped, his erection nudging against her through his jeans - the zipper scratching at her tummy. "So proud of you, baby."

Christian's hands were so smooth, soothing over her bare red bottom. The contrast from the tickle of his touch over her sore, bruised skin brought yet another sensation to the forefront of her sexual consciousness. Every single second with him was a thrilling new experience, eliciting responses that she never knew she was capable of feeling.

"Thank you," her tiny voice echoed, "kind Sir..."

"Now, I get mine..."

The bed had already been turned down, and as Christian eased Ana up on to the soft red sheets, she moved to lie down on her back, but he wrapped his hands around her hips, guiding her to her stomach.

"What...are you..."

"I want to see your little pink ass while I take you..." Ana could hear the rough tug of his zipper, the rip of the condom wrapper, and the throaty roar of the groan that reverberated from his lips. "Come quickly, Anastasia... because I'm taking you fast..."

With one swift shove, he filled her - so taut and so deep that Ana thought he might just be able to lift her off the bed with a single thrust of his hips - and just as he had the night before, he held her waist, synching her rhythm with his own.

As promised, he heaved against her on a feverish mission, pushing and pulsing - forcing Ana to keep up. With every stroke, she could feel the lingering embers of her last climax building anew, burning deep within to uncover a new core of sensation. So rough and unyielding, he carried her along, exploring her so deeply that she could have sworn that she could feel his thrusts within her belly.

Yet she couldn't get enough of him, and met him at every pulsating challenge. His tender side left her satisfied to the greatest degree, but his savage angst spiraled Ana to such depths of pleasure that left her sore, raw, trembling - and begging for more.

"Now or never, baby..." his words were almost brutal against her ear.

"Yes...now..." Ana cried, clawing at the sheets and pounding her tiny fists against the mattress, releasing herself - her needs, her fulfillment - to Christian and to him alone.

"_Mine_, dammit..." he muttered, ravaging her in those final seconds of his all consuming release. "No one else, Ana - _no one else_..."

"No one..." she breathed, as he collapsed against her with a groan borne of both relief and despair. "No one, Christian..."

Within seconds, the mercury shifted yet again, as their shallow breaths slowly became one. His lips passed along her neck and swept over her shoulders before sweeping sweetly down her spine. Christian knew he could have stayed inside her forever and a day, but he also had some responsibilities to take care of, and slowly pulled away.

As Ana slowly recovered, she realized once again that he hadn't bothered to undress. For a man who worked out nearly every day, she thought that was a little strange - but perhaps it was just part of his power games somehow, leaving her bare and vulnerable.

"Christian..." she murmured, pulling at his shirttail. "Christian, why-"

"Just stay right there, baby..." he murmured. "I'll be right back..."

Once again, he'd managed to avoid her before she even had the chance to ask a question.

Ana never felt so exhausted yet satiated, her limbs languid as the tremors settled within. She allowed her eyelids, so very heavy then, to close, and settled into the calm after the storm.

"Lift your head, baby," Christian caressed her cheek and slipped a pillow beneath her when he returned to Ana in bed. "Just rest and let me take care of you..."

Stretching out, she sighed, then hugged the pillow, murmuring, "Mmmm..."

"Are you cold?" he asked. "Do you need a blanket?"

"Quite," Ana whispered, "the opposite..."

"So, how as your first official visit to the Red Room of Pain, baby?" he asked and returned his lips to their exploration, trailing each rib, every vertebrae, all the way down to the small of her back where he stopped.

"Guess you can't see my smile from back there..." Ana murmured, almost too tired to giggle.

"You seemed to enjoy that spanking," he mused.

"The restraints...the spanking...the sex..." Ana ticked off her list. "We covered a lot of ground today..."

"Yes, we did," he agreed. "Now, your sweet little ass back here is almost as red as the sheets. But I've got some diaper cream..."

"Really?" Ana lifted her head from the pillow, craning her neck to try to look at him. "For real? Diaper cream?"

"Well, what else would you use to soothe a chapped ass, baby?"

The thick lotion was cold, a stark contrast to the heat burning on her backside. She shuddered momentarily, then allowed herself to unwind under his deep yet delicate massage. Once he was satisfied with his administration of first aid, he wiped his hands on the towel he brought with him, then returned to his journey, following the same course he'd just taken down her back, this time with his fingers.

"So, we're OK with another spanking sometime soon?" he asked.

"I really wish you'd flog me," she admitted. "Tonight..."

"Again, the answer is no, Anastasia," he said, his words firm, yet full of concern. "You've had enough for one evening..."

"Christian, please...I...just want to feel it...to understand it..." She tried to roll over to face him, but he stopped her. The layer of diaper cream was still thick on her bottom.

"Anastasia, I...can't let..." He stilled...closed his eyes...and pulled a long breath in through his flared nostrils. "I don't want..._I'm not going to hurt you the way she hurt me_, OK?"

"Oh, Christian...I'm-" Now, the tears stung in Ana's eyes, and she was glad that she couldn't see Christian's face. Her heart swelled with sadness once again for him. She didn't want to cause him any more agony than that nameless, evil woman already had. "I didn't mean to..."

Hands kneading her shoulders, he bent down to kiss the back of her neck. "It's OK, baby," he said. "You're sweet...and caring...you're nothing like that blonde bitch..."

Suddenly Ana's blood went cold, and her body stiffened. So that explained his preference for blonde submissives - he was taking his anger out this pedophile's look-alikes. Now, she wanted to turn and hold him more than ever, but he held her captive, albeit so gently, as his fingers and hands continued to manipulate the stiff muscles in her back.

"Just rest right now, baby," his words coddling her as he turned her face to kiss her. "Please, Ana? You've had a very long day...and I know you didn't sleep much last night..."

She raised her hand to cup his chin as he kissed her once more. "You're one hell of a man, Mr. Grey," she murmured against his lips. "You know that?"

And it was at that very second - right in the middle of The Red Room of Pain - that Anastasia Steele realized that she was falling for Christian Grey.


	28. Chapter 28

_**Chapter Twenty-Eight**_  
The delicate sound of a piano playing so very far off in the distance stirred Ana from her slumber. That night, however, when she awakened alone in that big red bed, she refused to panic.

Once again, Christian had fled, likely from his own fears that led him away once again...but this time, she knew he wasn't far.

Ana had no idea what time it was - or how long she'd been sleeping. Christian had obviously taken the time to cover her and tuck her carefully in under the heavy folds of the comforter before retreating into his own private torture. However, now, knowing what little she knew of his past, Ana refused to allow him to wallow in his own misery.

Just as she threw the covers to the side, Ana noticed that he'd left one of his t-shirts and a pair of gym shorts with a drawstring at the waist on the bed for her. That man seemed to always consider every last detail. Gratefully, she slipped them over her bare body, musing all the while how her tiny frame seemed to disappear in Christian's clothes.

She took a moment to gaze around the room, taking in once again the plethora of playthings available for her future enjoyment. Warmth radiated through her soul as Ana recalled how careful - almost paternal - Christian had been with her while issuing her punishment that evening. Yes, he reveled in hardcore play...but he'd taken every last opportunity to make sure that she was comfortable - that she was enjoying herself just as much as he was. Perhaps, submission was more about the reward than the punishment, she decided - yet both left Ana weak and craving.

As she tiptoed down the steps, following the soft echoes of mournful music that intensified as she neared, Ana could feel his Rasputin-like pull, luring her from even afar. While she'd caught him from behind, she knew that he could sense her presence in the room as he sat at the baby grand...but he continued to play, even as Ana treaded ever closer on the sheet of thin ice that always seemed to form beneath the feet of Christian Grey.

The skyline of the city flooded the dark room with light, his silhouette almost black against the neon illumination.

Daringly, Ana moved forward...placing one careful foot in front of the other...until she stood almost beside him.

To Ana's utter surprise, Christian reached out and clasped her fingers before he wrapped his arm around her waist, still tinkering at he keys with his free hand. Then the music stopped, and he turned to face her, eyes so steely sober that Ana couldn't read him.

"You're still here," he mused with a sleepy smile.

"So are you, Christian..." her quiet voice played over the silence lingering now between them. "That was beautiful. But I didn't recognize it..."

"Just something I made up on the fly, baby..."

"You're quite talented," she murmured, her words sincere. "But I thought you didn't play for your submissives?"

"I still don't..." When he swiveled around on the piano bench to face her, he was still smiling. Wrapping his hands around her tiny waist, he pulled her near, into his lap. "You haven't signed a contract yet..."

"Ah, that contract," Ana said. "Perhaps after tonight, Sir will deem me worthy of a signature..."

Kissing the top of her head, he squeezed her closer. "You really are OK with all of this?"

"I didn't try to run this time," she reminded him.

"Maybe you should have, Ana..." he said, shook his head, then looked away.

Fifty Shades of Shattered Glass was making his slow return to their conversation. This time, Ana was determined to pick up every last razor-sharp shard.

"Why would I do that?" she questioned.

"I let you in - I told you things that I never..." His breath hissed against her ear, chilly in its release. "I never said a word to any of _them_, Ana...about my past. What would make you want to stay?"

The egomaniacal billionaire was slowly shedding his skin in the palm of Ana's hands, and she couldn't help but to sink her fingers into his copper hair, and force him to face the sincerity in her eyes and in her words.

"It's a part of you - but not all of you, Christian," she whispered gently. "Listen, you frustrate me. You drive me absolutely insane at times, in fact. But you're funny. You're brilliant. You certainly keep me on my toes, and I never know what to expect next...and you've introduced me to a whole new world that I never knew existed..."

"You're still so young, and this is all just new to you, Anastasia..."

"Don't make excuses for my interest in you, Christian," Ana said.

"Maybe I'm making excuses for my own attempts to corrupt your innocence..."

"She went willingly," Ana reminded him, her eyes and smile teasing.

"Yes," he raised an eyebrow and managed to return a tiny smile, "and she begged for more..."

Ana tugged at his shirt collar. He was still dressed from their earlier play, but she was quite fond of his present wrinkled and wily look. "That she did, kind Sir..."

Toying with the hem of his shorts that fell against Ana's thigh, Christian mused, "She also seemed to embrace the concept of pain as pleasure..."

"And the thrill of restraint..." Ana added, daring to bite her lip.

His finger played over her mouth, but didn't try to refrain her. "I'm just going to add five cracks to every punishment herein for that, Miss Steele..."

"You think I can't curtail my behavior?" Ana challenged. "Oh, ye of little faith..."

"My, dear, dear baby..." he said and shook his head. "You know, I'm glad you enjoyed the restraints because I'm foreseeing heavy usage in your very near future..."

"Oh, _yeah_...?" Blue eyes dancing, lashes fluttering, Ana wiggled in his lap and reached for the first button on his shirt...only to be met with the sudden grip of his fingers.

Something snapped...and Christian couldn't face her. He closed his eyes and shook his head, as if willing some evil nightmare to go away. Then he turned to Ana, his sad grey eyes harboring a hundred more secrets, and whispered calmly. "No, Ana," he pleaded. "**_No_**..."

"I'm-I'm sorry..." But Ana had no idea what the hell she was apologizing for. "Christian, I...are you alright?"

"Don't go there, Ana...it's a dark and horrifying place..." he warned.

"**_Talk to me_**..." she implored.

"It's ugly, Anastasia," he warned. "Ugly, ugly scars..."

"You mean...physical?"

He could only nod.

"Show me, please...?"

"I can't..."

"I'm not afraid," her voice ensconced in pure sincerity.

"You really aren't, are you?" He brushed his fingers into her hair, as he searched her eyes for any trace of doubt. He came up empty. "You can't touch me there, Anastasia. Ever..."

"I promise you, I won't touch you..." She swung her arms behind her back, and clasped her hands there. "There - I _can't_ touch you now..."

"You're far too noble for your own good, Ana..." he warned.

His breath was sharp as he pulled a gulp of still air through his teeth and reached for the top button on his shirt, which he clutched for a long moment before unfastening, followed by another long, thoughtful pause before he reached for the second. Ana wanted to nothing more than to hold those hands as they made their painful journey, but she made a vow - and she kept her word.

Halfway down, Christian stopped, closed his eyes again...and Ana thought she saw him shiver right there in the darkness. He surprised her when he circled her waist with his hands, and said, "Sit next to me, Ana?"

With ease, he helped her to the empty spot next to him on the seat, straddling the bench. Once more, she moved her hands behind her back, if for no other reason than to simply force his trust.

All the while, Ana simply watched as he continued to struggle with the last of the buttons until his shirt was open.

Once more, Ana sensed that feeling of detachment as he carefully pealed away the expensive linen from his shoulders, his gaze locked upon hers as it fell.

She held her breath - and the tears that threatened to fall - as she stared at the nightmarish reminders of torture that marred his chest. Tiny scars covered him, from shoulder to shoulder like remnants of a wildfire that destroyed a once thriving landscape, and one long cut sliced into his upper left arm.

When at last she spoke, Ana's voice was fraught with sympathy and compassion. "Did...she...do this to you?"

"No, baby..."

Ana was certainly no stranger to living a rough childhood. Between the early death of a father she never had the chance to know, her mother's string of husbands and shuffling from state to state between her mother and the step-father she adored, she had little time for a proper upbringing, and could easily admit that she'd never made a true friend until she met Kate in college. However miserable she once considered her earlier years now paled in comparison to the gruesome stories to the wounds on Christian's chest.

"Will you tell me..." Ana stopped herself. "Will you tell me who did?"

He shook his head. "Not now, baby..."

"I wish...that you would let me touch you - hold you...right now," Ana began, "but I know you won't."

"I need to put my shirt back on," he said, and scrambled to pick it up off the floor.

"Just don't be afraid to show me again," Ana said, reaching out to squeeze his knee, a safe zone - or at least she tried to convince herself at that moment. "I'm...I'm not judging you - and you shouldn't judge yourself..."

"Ana, you've heard - you've _seen_ - too much already," he said, standing up and racing his fingers over the buttons that took him so long open.

"And I haven't left, have I?"

Suddenly, he stopped just before reaching the bottom button, turned to her...and caressed her cheek. "No, you haven't, have you?"

"Trust..." Ana whispered. "Remember our lesson earlier? It's a two-way street..."

"How the hell did you fall into my life, Anastasia Steele?" he murmured, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"I tripped," she teased, hoping to lighten the mood.

"Thank you, baby," he said at last. "Thank you for being such a damn clutz..."

"My pleasure, Sir..."

"I'm starving," he said suddenly, mercury playing with his moods once more. In typical Christian fashion, he simply wanted to drop the entire conversation and pretend as if it didn't happen - at least for the time being. However, Ana couldn't press him further. She had no choice but to honor his wishes. There would be time - she would _make_ time - to discuss this all again. "And you haven't eaten much at all today..."

"You know...there was this handsome fellow that I went out with last Saturday..." Ana began, "and he happened to take me to this tiny little greasy spoon - right around the corner..."

"Oh, yeah?" Christian played along, as his eyes dropped once again to her chest. She didn't have a bra with her - and that simply wouldn't do. However, he knew there was no chance of finding a proper lingerie store open at midnight on a Saturday evening, even in Manhattan. "Why don't we try out this place tonight? But...let me go grab you a sweatshirt first..."


	29. Chapter 29

_**Chapter Twenty-Nine**_  
Ana's first shock before she even left for her first day on her brand-new job was the giant man who met her in the lobby, assigned to deliver her to work.

"He's here for you, Ana," Jonathan, the seemingly ever-present doorman said as she strolled from the elevator in a simple black dress, belted just above the waist with a paten leather belt - with a bag and shoes to match. "Said he's supposed to drive you to work this morning..."

_Christian. Trevelyan. Grey_. At work again...

Ana rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders as she minded the hulking man who stood at the doorway in Christian's usual waiting spot. Of course the subway wasn't good enough for his submissive - he just had to hire a driver...secret service agent...member of the Mosad - to protect her from any and all dangers that might pass her way in the few blocks between the apartment and her office building.

"Nice to make your acquaintance, Miss Steele," he said, extending a hefty, chilly hand to Ana. "Just call me Sawyer..."

"Sawyer..." she repeated, giving his hand a gentle pump. "Um...please call me Ana..."

She'd apparently left him flummoxed by her simple request. "I..."

"No, please - it's _Ana_..." She'd guessed that she'd be seeing _a lot_ more of this man lately, and Ana hated formalities.

Ana's nerves were wrought with tension over this new venture into gainful employment. She was so excited to begin her first real job, but at the same time, she just dreaded spending her days under the angry tutelage of Elena Lincoln.

Oh, how she just wished she could return to the weekend, as she recounted every last second - right down to Christian's revelations about his nightmarish past. Just knowing how difficult it had been for him - and how much courage he mustered to tell her what little information he disclosed - brought Ana both a sense of sadness and assurance at the same time. He cared enough about her to share his darkest secrets, and trusted her to be their lone keeper.

Oddly, they hadn't retreated again to the Red Room of Pain - or to his bedroom for that matter. After a very late dinner/early breakfast at the diner on Sunday morning, they decided to head to her place, where he'd so devastatingly made love to her again, roughly taking her on the couch...almost violently on the living room floor...and then rather sweetly in her bed before he snuck out to avoid Kate's return. He promised her they'd play again so very soon - once she healed a bit from her spanking - and left her at the door without a kiss...making her want him all the more.

Kate, naturally, nearly burst with questions when she returned late on Sunday evening, and Ana could swear that girl could smell sex in the air. While she managed to dodge the specifics, Ana was certain that she wasn't about to win an Oscar any time soon for her performance. Kate could always sniff out a story...

Stuck in traffic, Ana pulled her phone from her bag - the _new_ phone that Christian warned her to carry with her at all times. Ana suspected there was a tracking device on it, and while she protested, she knew she was fighting yet another losing battle with that man.

Thumbing through her e-mail, she smiled.

**_From: Christian Grey_**  
**_Subject: Working for the Weekend..._**  
**_Date: June 18, 2013, 07:49_**  
**_To: Anastasia Steele_**

_My darling baby:_

_Good luck today. I hope this is a first day for a long career for you at Remington._

_I also hope this emerging career woman in you can find some time to spend with her wicked old Sir this week. Don't forget about the little people on your climb to the top of the corporate ladder._

_Kisses,_  
_CG_  
_Christian Grey_  
_CEO, Grey Enterprise Holdings, Inc._

Pounding out a missive in return, Ana giggled, wondering what Sawyer must have been thinking of her from the driver's seat.

_**From: Anastasia Steele**_  
_**Subject: I...WISH!**_  
_**Date: June 18, 2013, 08:21**_  
_**To: Christian Grey**_

_Dearest Kind Sir:_

_Thank you for thinking about me this morning. There are butterflies scurrying around my stomach. Not sure if it's nerves about today - or just still thinking about the RROP!_

_I could only __**WISH**__that you were here to actually __**KISS ME**__. (Hint-hint.) However, I shall wait patiently and will be enthusiastically at your disposal as time permits this week._

_Yearning,_  
_AS_  
_Anastasia Steele_

As the car crept along Park Avenue, stopping in front of every last apartment building where the likes of the Vanderbilts and the Astors once slept, Ana knew they were quickly approaching her stop, and she carefully leaned forward to catch Sawyer's attention.

"Um...if you would, please...uh, Sawyer?" she said. "Would you mind dropping me a block away from Remington?"

Another stoplight. He turned around to face her. "Miss...Ana, I can't do that..."

"Please...?" She offered an extra flick of her eyelashes over the mockery of a damsel forlorn as she looked straight into the rear view mirror to catch his attention once more. "I just don't want my new colleagues...to...well...see me..._like this_..." The last thing she needed was to bump into Elena as she stepped out of her chauffeur driven carriage at the onset of Day One.

"I'm going to have to tell Mr. Grey..."

"Tell him - that's fine..." Ana figured she'd get five cracks and would just have to wait to enjoy the consequences later.

"I'm going to spot you all the way to the building..." Sawyer warned.

"Spot me!" she said, and with a smile and a quick but sincere thanks, she hopped out of the car, and headed down the block toward Remington.

"Ana, so glad to see you!" Jillian said when she met her at reception. "Welcome!"

"You, too, Jill..."

"So, I have your cube all set up," Jillian began to ramble as she escorted Ana through the locked door, tapping her identity card against the panel on the wall. "We'll also send you to Human Resources this morning to get you an access card. Elena's running a few minutes late today...but...you got the biggest bouquet of flowers this morning!"

Ana smiled, already knowing the sender.

"And there's an editorial meeting this afternoon, but I'll prep you for that. Also, I hope you brought your lunch because there's going to be no time today to run out..."

Already, Ana was exhausted as she carefully tore away the floral paper covering the huge display of hydrangeas - her favorite flower - on her desk.

"Oh, they're so pretty!" Jillian squealed. "From your parents?"

"No...no, Jill..." she picked the card out, and held it in her hand, waiting for what little bit of privacy she might have in the barracks of cubicles before she opened it. "Just...just a good friend..."

"Well, listen, I'll let you get settled here...and then I'll help you log into the server and set your e-mail up for you." She turned once before heading next door to her own cube. "I'm glad you're here. And I hope it's all a good experience for you, Ana."

"Thanks, Jill," Ana said, then settled into her chair to read the card.

_Have a spectacular day, baby._  
_XX_  
_CG_

Stealthily, Ana craned her neck over the rows of cubicles to see if Elena was anywhere in sight, then quickly pulled out her phone.

_**From: Anastasia Steele**_  
_**Subject: Of Hearts and Flowers**_  
_**Date: June 18, 2013, 09:13**_  
_**To: Christian Grey**_

_Kind Sir:_  
_The hydrangeas are absolutely gorgeous! Thank you so very much for thinking of me this morning._

_Perhaps you need to re-think your own old adage here._

_Hearts,_  
_AS_  
_Anastasia Steele_

Paranoia settled in once again as Ana hit send. It was almost as if she could feel Elena's presence in the building - she just had that sinking feeling.

Yet she couldn't deny herself a perusal of Christian's response.

_**From: Christian Grey**_  
_**Subject: Broken-Hearted**_  
_**Date: June 18, 2013, 09:19**_  
_**To: Anastasia Steele**_

_Dearest baby:_  
_I think about you all the time - I didn't necessarily need any excuse this morning. But I'm glad you enjoyed the flowers._

_As for hearts, we'll leave that up for negotiation at a later time._

_Now, on to business matters. You've already got five cracks/whips/flogs/whatever weapon is at my disposal coming for the chronic lip biting. And you can add five more for attempting to ditch Sawyer this morning._

_I cannot wait to see what sort of misbehavior you engage in next._

_Demented and sad...but social..._  
_CG_  
_Christian Grey_  
_CEO, Grey Enterprise Holdings, Inc._

With the sudden boom of that familiar voice, Ana shut down her phone and shoved it back into her bag. Elena had arrived...

"I don't care what he says, Jillian - get him on the phone this morning," she barked, hovering just outside Jill's adjacent cubicle. "I have other issues to deal with this morning..."

Ana sat patiently, holding that first-day smile on her face, when Elena popped her head over the short wall. "Anastasia Steele..." she said simply.

"Good morning, Elena," Ana offered.

"Oh, dear...lord...what's that...?" Elena muttered, sniffing around and souring her face.

Ana could have sworn at that moment that she saw Elena's nose twitching. In fact, the towering blonde reminded her a bit of that old classic television show, _Bewitched_ - when Samantha wriggled her nose to cast a spell to make things right. Only Elena was certainly no good witch!

"Oh..._**ohhhh**_..." Elena's eyes widened as she shoved her way into Ana's cube and looked at the huge floral display on her desk. "It's those damn flowers! Who the hell sends flowers to an office building? People have allergies..."

"I-I'm so sorry, Elena," Ana mumbled, heart stuck in her throat. "I could-"

With one swoop of her arm, Elena managed to shove the entire arrangement from Ana's desk into the trash can, then rubbed her hands together as if in disgust. "Jillian, where's my hand sanitizer?" she cranked over the cube wall that separated her two young minions. "You tell whomever - mommy, daddy..._boyfriend_... - that's absolutely unacceptable, Anastasia. And take them to the back elevator bank where the garbage is carried out. I won't have them here - I'll be sneezing all damn day!"

"Yes, Elena," Ana stammered.

"Then come to my office - both of you," she commanded. "I want to make this an early night, since it's your first day. Maybe 8:30 or so..."

Once Elena was clearly out of earshot, Jillian poked her way into Ana's cube. Her sad frown mirrored Ana's. "I am so sorry, Ana..."

"It's...OK..." Ana looked at her beautiful flowers, now crumpled in the garbage can. "I had no idea that there was some rule about getting flowers in the office..."

"There's not," Jillian said. "This is just Elena being Elena - and trying to frighten the new kid on the block."

So much for Christian's Fifty Shades of Sentiment that morning. Ana was still debating whether she should tell him or not.

She had, however, decided not to mention a word to Elena that she was dating her old chum's son. Hopefully, Christian would ask his mother to keep things silent for the moment. Ana certainly didn't want Elena to know that they had any connections outside the office. She could only imagine the additional misery that would create.

"I'll help you take those to the elevator, Ana," Jillian offered.

"And did she really mean that - about calling it an early night at 8:30?" Ana asked, as she lifted her trash can.

"Unfortunately, yes," Jillian said. "But there are ways around it sometimes. Doctors appointments...theater tickets...I've got a whole list of excuses that usually work on her about once a week..."

Suddenly, Ana could envision that happy little world that she'd begun to build for herself in her new city disintegrate before her naive baby blue eyes. There would be no more weeknight dates with Christian - no time for senseless banter with Kate. Perhaps, maybe, if she wasn't too exhausted by the weekend, they could engage for a spare hour or two in the Red Room of Pain. And maybe Kate would be available for a Sunday brunch now and then.

Relegated to trash disposal, Ana wondered what other menial tasks Elena had in store for her that day as she thanked Jillian profusely for her help once again.

This was about to become the longest week of Anastasia's life.


	30. Chapter 30

_**Chapter Thirty**_  
By Friday, Christian Grey had had enough.

For once, though, he knew he had to curtail his own impatience...at least for a little while for Ana's sake. Yet, as with all matters related to his beloved submissive, he found that a painfully difficult task to endure.

"I don't give a damn what your boss has to say..." his voice carried so loudly through the phone that Ana was certain that the man rushing past her on his way to work had heard him loud and clear. "Ana, you fell asleep on me last night over Skype."

"Christian, I can't-" Ana lowered her voice as she hurried along the last block before mustering the courage to step into those Hallowed Halls of Remington Publishing. From the corner of her eye, she could see Sawyer, creeping along the curb, minding her every move. At least they'd settled on a happy medium for a drop-off point. "I have too much to do..."

"Baby, I'm running a billion dollar company, and_** I**_ make time to have some semblance of a life," he said. "You've been there until ten o'clock for three nights in a row. Without a lunch or dinner break. You can't implement an early dismissal policy, then systematically exclude one or two people...there's a thing called a Human Resources department..."

While the rest of the company had the pleasure of what was known as "Summer Fridays" - when the entire Remington office shut down at two p.m. to allot everyone the chance to get a head start on the weekend, as did many companies in New York - Ana and Jillian weren't privy to that privilege.

"I'm picking you up at two, kidnapping you, and you're going to take a nap before we go out this evening," he said. "And don't think I won't do it, Anastasia..."

"Christian, I have to go now," Ana said, trying to cut him off. "I'm about to step inside the office..."

"Anastasia, listen to me, I'm-"

Ana had no choice but to drop the call, and pull in a deep breath for courage. Just one more day before she could rest.

Onward, she carried herself through the lobby and up the elevator to the Torture Chamber.

The stack of various assignments covered her chair, each page adorned with a yellow sticky note scribbled with Elena's illegible handwriting of commands on how to proceed. Scooping up the papers, Ana took her seat and sighed. Once Jillian had some coffee, she'd be around to help Ana decipher the orders.

In truth, Ana had been doing all of Elena's work for the last three days - drafting her correspondence, intermediating with angry authors, fielding questions from the marketing and publicity departments. While Ana really had no idea how to handle herself in most of the situations that presented themselves, she thought she did a damn good job faking her way through.

"Pssst..." Jillian, Ana thought, seemed awfully cheery that morning. Maybe she was just overly excited about the weekend. "Ana, I have some good news!"

Ana motioned for her to move closer, then leaned her ear out to Jillian's whisper.

"Just looked at her schedule, and she has a hair appointment at noon," Jillian said, almost hiccupping with joy. "She'll never be back by two! We can leave early today!"

Immediately skeptical, Ana pulled back in fear. "We can't..."

"I've done it before..." Jillian said. "If she's not here to stop us, we don't have to stick around..."

It felt almost like a dubious plan, but Ana couldn't stop herself from feeling hopeful. Perhaps Christian wouldn't need to make a scene after all. She had to text him to avert him from the chance to create a drama of epic proportions.

_***There's a chance for an early escape at two. **_  
_**Please, Kind Sir, remain inside the car until I leave the building. **_  
_**I shall see you then.***_

Yet again, there was no time to wait for a reply. Elena's voice crashed through the early morning quiet with its growling roar, ordering both Ana and Jillian to her Den.

_Just a few more hours, Steele_, Ana reminded herself. _Just muddle through..._

"Who wrote this damn letter?" Elena asked, waving a page printed on Remington letterhead through the air as Ana and Jillian took their seats in front of her desk, bracing for the next round.

Elena slammed the paper down right in front of Ana, the thump of her hand echoing far beyond the walls of her office. "Were you responsible for this Anastasia?" she demanded. "It's laden with typos and grammatical errors. You can't send something like this to an author."

"Actually, Elena, I made the corrections and printed it out for you to sign last night," Ana explained, trying to keep her calm and her cool against the Iron Fist of the Publishing Industry. "I kept a copy for myself, if you'd like to see it."

"Well, then how did this version end up in my in-box?" Elena questioned her.

"Perhaps that's the original that you gave to me to review last night..." ..._at nine-fifteen in the evening_, Ana thought. "Again, if you'd like to see the copy..."

However, Elena didn't want to hear a word of what Ana had to say. "You know this is absolutely inexcusable. I don't know how they did things in Portland - Washington - wherever the hell you're from, young lady...but this is New York. And if you can't play with the big kids, perhaps it's time to get out of the sandbox."

After sleeping, and perhaps in between a visit to the RROP, Ana added a new task to her weekend "to do" list: _**Find. A. New. Damn. Job.**_

While Ana wasn't alone in the aim of Elena's wrath that Friday morning, she certainly bore the brunt of her insults and random snide commentary. Although she tried desperately not to take those cruel words seriously, Ana couldn't escape the worthless feeling that overwhelmed her.

An hour later, when Elena decided to dismiss her underlings at last, Ana quietly returned to her cubicle and began pecking at her e-mails.

"You did the right thing, Ana - keep a record of everything," Jillian's sad voice resonated from behind her. "I learned that the hard way when I first started working for her."

"I know that wasn't the letter I gave to her last night, Jill," Ana insisted and spun around in her chair to meet Jillian's pitiful gaze. "Does she try to sabotage everyone who works for her?"

With some hesitation, Jillian shrugged her shoulders. "It's been bad for everyone," Jillian admitted, "but nothing like this."

For the moment, she had to make an attempt to erase the last sixty minutes from her memory. She had pressing matters to muddle through before her day came to a - hopefully - short end.

So far that afternoon, they'd both managed to keep their promises. Ana left the office precisely at two, and Christian waited until she stepped out of the building before getting out of the car.

Perhaps, Ana thought, that was an indication that the weekend wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Baby..." Christian whispered and automatically folded her into his arms. "Baby, look at you...you look exhausted. Ana, are you ill? Do you need to see a doctor?"

Ana allowed herself the comfort of collapsing against the strength of her Fifty Shades of Sympathy, but she was also in a hurry to get the hell out of that neighborhood before Elena reappeared.

Christian was probably right - she knew she looked terrible, with black circles that would rival those of any prize fighter framing her baby blues. However, she didn't want to waste a single second of her weekend worrying. "I'll be fine," she managed, gently pushing past him to climb into the car. "_I am fine_..."

Per his usual, Christian buckled her in, then took her face in his hands, his thumbs caressing the bruise like marks around her eyes. "What the hell has this woman done to you? Use you as a punching bag?"

"No, Christian, I reserve that right for you alone," she made a weak attempt at humor.

"Not funny, Miss Steele," he warned her, "and this is going to stop."

Throwing her head back against the rest, Ana groaned. "Please, don't intervene this time," she begged. Clearly, now wasn't the time to tell him that Elena swatted her beautiful flowers to the garbage can. Ana wanted to let him know - and the incident had been nagging at her conscience for three days - but she also had enough sense not to wave a red flag in front of a very angry bull. "Let me find another job first, then you can cause all the trouble you want..."

"You could work at GEH for a while - until you find something else," he suggested.

"Whip me, beat me...call me 'baby'..." Ana chuckled, "but I refuse to sleep with my boss."

"Look, Ana, she's clearly making you sick here," Christian continued on. "I haven't even seen you all week -"

"There lies the real problem, Mr. Grey," Ana was quick to point out. "_You're_ not getting what _you_ need here..."

"You really think that I'm _that_ selfish, Miss Steele?" he bit back.

Ana couldn't answer him. She was too tired and too afraid of putting her foot in her mouth again.

"Well, if you won't allow me to step in, I really wish you'd go to HR," Christian said. "I'm guessing this won't be the first time they've heard this complaint."

"Christian...please..." Ana reached for his hand, then brought it to her lips. "Can we just forget about all of this for a few hours? It's the weekend. And I just need to unwind for a little while..."

"I'm sorry, baby," he said, and tweaked the tip of her nose with his thumb. "You're right. You need to rest. And I have a couple of surprises in store for you..."

"I was hoping you'd say that..." Tantalizingly, she sucked her bottom lip between her teeth.

"I think, Miss Steele," he began, "we're going to have to up that standard punishment to ten cracks..."

"Mmm..." Ana teased him with her smile, as she feigned a struggle against the seatbelt. "Your place or mine?"

"If we go to my place, Ana, you'll just want to play," he said, "and I don't think you're strong enough for that at the moment..."

"Kate shouldn't be home until later..." Ana said. "Coast should be clear..."

"Taylor - off to Miss Steele's apartment, please..."

"So are you around this weekend for some girl time or are you planning on spending every waking second with Prince Not-So Charming, Steele?" Kate called out as she flung open the front door. She didn't bother to blush until she found Christian on the couch with Ana passed out in his lap.

"Your mouth, Miss Kavanagh," he whispered over Ana's slumbering head, "is at its best when closed."

"You're here?" Kate's hushed whine bit back. "Already? It's still early - only eight-thirty...shouldn't you be doing something in Darfur or somewhere?"

Those grey eyes rolled upward into his skull, and Christian shook his head before he nodded toward Ana. "_Please_..."

"Why don't you come in the kitchen and have a beer with me, Grey?" Kate said at last. "It's been a long week for everyone, I think..."

"Give me a minute here..." While the thought of sharing anything with Kate Kavanagh put an oh so sour taste in his mouth, Christian really felt he had no choice in the matter, considering he was, after all, sitting in her apartment.

With such care and grace, he lifted Ana's head as he scooted away from her, easing a throw pillow beneath her before he stood. She was so tired that the movement didn't even stir her.

Kate had already popped the caps off two beers and set them on the counter before Christian strolled into the tiny galley kitchen. They were two young women - and given Ana's sporadic eating habits, he guessed they didn't need a five-star restaurant space to prepare meals.

"So..." Kate passed him a bottle then hopped up on the tiny counter to sit down. "You know, Grey, we should probably learn to fight a little nicer here for the sake of our sleeping beauty out there on the couch."

"Katherine, I'm not the one with the vendetta here," Christian began. "I'm not sure what exactly set your little float afire, but I'm pretty sure it's because I declined an interview with you."

"All water under the proverbial bridge now, Grey," Kate said, then took a swig from her beer.

Those grey eyes, brimming with skepticism, narrowed over the rim of his own bottle. "Why am I smelling some sort of ulterior motive here?" he asked suddenly.

"Look, I'm going to just say it," Kate said finally. "She's here alone. Her parents are halfway across the country. She left the only life she knew behind. And I'm all she has right now. And...well...don't break my best friend's heart, OK, Grey?"

"Really? You're _**all**_ she has?" he challenged. "And who's to say that she won't break mine?"

"Look, she's new to this city - and you and I both know how cruel it can be," Kate began. "I-I just want her to be happy."

"As do I," he agreed. "Deliriously happy."

"Well, right now, she's not." Kate pursed her lips and shook her head. "She's had a really horrible first week at work, and I think the stress is eating her alive."

"And I'm hoping she has a little respite for a couple of days..."

"You guys are going away next weekend, right?" Kate asked. "To the Hamptons, Ana said?"

"My mother's annual fundraiser for the hospital," Christian explained. "It's the event of the summer..."

"Indeed it is," Kate was quick to note.

Christian set his beer bottle down on the counter next to Kate with a crash so loud that he actually peeped through the door into the living room to make sure he didn't awaken Ana.

"So that's what this is all about?" Christian accused. "You want an invite to my mother's party so that you can expand your little social circle..."

"Christian, I didn't say that I..." Kate batted her lashes with mock innocence.

He tossed his head back and ran his fingers through that thick copper hair. "You are such a piece of work, Kavanagh..."

As he moved to return to Ana on the couch, Kate jumped off the counter and grabbed his arm. "Oh, come on, Grey - you don't think I can garner an invitation all on my own?"

"First of all..._**no**_," he said simply. "Second of all, do you really care about the cause or are you trying to just network? Third, you have some nerve..."

"Christian..." Ana's tiny voice called out suddenly, muffled as she murmured into the pillow. "What's..?"

"I'm here, baby..."

"Won't you be surprised to see me there, Grey...?"

On his knees beside Ana on the couch, he popped his head around to address Kate. "Is that a threat?"

"A promise, Grey - a _promise_!"

"Stop it, will you two?" Ana groaned and sat up, hugging the pillow on which she had been sleeping. "You're both treading around me like I'm the child here - and who's behaving like a pair of five-year-olds?"

"Fair point, well made..." Christian grumbled in his own chagrin.

"Sorry, Ana..." Kate managed to cough out the words from the side of her mouth. She hated having to apologize - ever. "Why don't we just put this aside, order some Chinese..."

"We've already had dinner, Kate," Ana said. "Leftovers are in the fridge. You're welcome to them..._while I go back to bed_..."

Flopping down in the arm chair next to the couch, Kate folded her arms, watching Ana and Christian with her woeful green eyes. "I guess you're staying over, Grey?"

He turned to Ana. "Only if Miss Steele is granting me her permission..."

"Only if my roomie will concede..." All eyes were on Kate.

"I would tell you both to get a room right now," Kate attempted to tease, "but you already have one, Steele."

"Turndown service would be lovely right now." Ana simply couldn't resist her sudden urge to lean over and brush a kiss over those copper waves of hair, while Kate turned away in mock disgust.

"Hint taken, Miss Steele..." He stood again, then faced Kate with a simple nod. "See you tomorrow, Kavanagh..."

"Just don't leave the seat up in the middle of the night, Grey," she warned. "Or that _will_ go in my column..."

Once the girls heard the bedroom door click to close, Kate moved quickly to sit beside Ana. "I'm really sorry about all that..."

"It's OK, Kate," Ana said, unsure of whether she could still trust her old friend. "We can talk about it in the morning..."

"I...I just thought that when you moved here - it would be just us. Two young chicks, hitting the town together - maybe even trying to relive our college days," Kate reluctantly admitted, her voice full of regret. "At least for a little while."

Ana sighed deeply before asking the inevitable, "Please don't tell me that you're jealous, Kate...?"

"No, not jealous. He does make you happy, I think," she said with as much sincerity as Kate Kavanagh could muster. "And regardless what I think of him personally...and you know I hate to admit this...but he does seem to care about you, Ana."

"I hope you're right, Kate," Ana whispered, her own doubts surfacing.

"You're falling, Steele," Kate noted. "I've never seen you this way - not in four years..."

"Kate, it's only been two weeks tonight," Ana insisted.

"Stranger things have happened, Steele..."

In truth, he'd stolen her heart six days ago, but she'd never admit that to anyone but her own self.

"Listen, let's talk more when we have some time alone, "Ana suggested. "I really am exhausted, and I'd like to try to enjoy what's left of the weekend..."

"I love you, Steele..." Kate opened her arms to Ana.

Ana readily accepted the hug, but she couldn't ignore her hurt over Kate's behavior. Never in four years had Ana harbored any ill will to Kate's barrage of suitors. However, now that it was Ana's chance...there seemed to be some hard feelings rising that she wasn't sure how to process just yet.

All the while, as she internalized this unspoken battle with Kate, Ana didn't realize that Christian stood with his ear to the door, listening to every last word disclosed between two best friends.


	31. Chapter 31

_**Chapter Thirty-One**_  
"Ohhh...my...G-"

Christian's hand clamped down over her mouth, silencing Ana as she moaned against his fingers.

"Silence, baby..." he hissed. "These walls aren't sound-proofed like in the Red Room..."

Caught in a sleepy daze, Ana opened her eyes. Yes, they were in her room. He'd stayed the night, but they hadn't made love before she'd fallen fast asleep. Now, before dawn had even broken over the city, he was already on top of her, literally stirring her from a deep slumber as he moved above her - and inside her.

"Christian..." Ana gulped for air, as he continued to groove so sinuously against her, deeper with every painstakingly slow stroke. Still half-asleep, Ana's hips readily fell in line with his. _Oh, he was just too good._ "What are you doing..."

"Waking you up, baby..." he whispered. "And teaching you a lesson..."

"Less-"

"Hush..." He placed one finger over her lips, holding her eyes all the while as he eased back and forth.

"You may not come until I tell you," he murmured, crushing against her again and again with the utmost leisure. "and you may not make a single sound when you do..."

"I-I _have_ to..." she whimpered.

"No, you _don't_..." his voice was so steady and calm, yet commanding as he clasped her hands above her head, essentially holding her prisoner on the mattress. "Slow it down...and breathe. You come, and we start over..."

_Slow it down?_ Ana thought. He was crazy. That was only going to delay this entire process by hours. She wasn't even fully awake and already he had managed to snare her back into his captivity. For once, Ana didn't trust herself at all. There was simply _no way_ she could pull this one off...

However, as she felt that now familiar pull deep in her tummy, bubbling with the temptation for release, Ana knew she had nothing to lose. Clenching every muscle from her waist downward with all her might, she drew in a ragged breath and held on, waiting...looking so fiercely into Christian's eyes for guidance yet again.

"Hold it for me, baby...hold it..." he encouraged her, "Don't forget to breathe..."

_Dammit, Grey, this is torture,_ she thought, entwining her legs around his. _Go away, Orgasm, go away. Think ugly thoughts, Ana. Car accidents. Oil spills. Tsunamis. Plague. Kittens in shelters._

As the flames subsided to mere embers, Ana smiled inwardly at the strength of her own will. Maybe she _could_ do this!

"Good girl..." he brushed his lips over the top of her head. "Such a good girl..."

Now, if Ana could only make those two tantalizing words a hard limit, she would. Every single time Christian uttered that all-entrancing phrase, she felt herself slipping from yellow to red. Yet she yearned to hear them - needed that reassurance and comfort they brought forth - even though they often left her conflicted between obedience and her own need in their wake. At that moment, however, she knew he was goading her, testing her limits yet again, just to see how far into his dark little world he could push her.

Never satisfied with anything, Christian refused to allow her to believe that a mere practice run meant perfection. "Again..." It wasn't a question - it was an order.

Measured if not methodical, Christian continued on, urging her with every slow thrust...then waiting for Ana to still herself before beginning this sensual choreography anew. Eyelashes fluttering, Ana rolled her eyes, wondering just how long he could manage to prolong what she once thought to be inevitable.

The stops and starts, however, only intensified her arousal every time she neared her peak, but she couldn't give up - give in - to her own pleasure just yet. Delaying her gratification, she knew, was so important to him, and Christian simply wouldn't accept failure on her behalf.

"What should I do with you, Miss Steele?" he questioned, his words so coarse against her ear.

"It's...up to _you_..." she heaved "...Sir..."

"Well...played..." He closed his eyes, with just the hint of a smile on his lips. Ana knew he couldn't keep this game up much longer. "You'll come on three, baby. Just keep breathing. Make a sound, and Kate will hear you...and we'll start over..."

"Yes, Sir..." she whispered, heeding his ominous order.

"One..." Ana held her breath with his thrust.

"Two..." She sucked in her lip, and she didn't care - she was already getting a spanking for it anyway.

"Three..."

Every last nerve ending south of her navel seemed to unravel at his command, and she tossed her head about on the pillow, nearly choking herself as she struggled with her own silence. Drawing breath after breath through clenched teeth, Ana allowed the sensations to engulf her, as Christian impelled her into the depths of pleasure. And in the silence, she opened her eyes, taking note of the rapture twisting his face , the flare of his nostrils, the drops of perspiration that dampened his brow. Their sweet release, so intense as they clung to each other, left Ana devastated in his arms.

Through it all, Anastasia made not a single sound.

"Not bad," his voice was low and dark, but his eyes were smiling, " for a newbie who's been out of practice for a week."

"You seem to know my body better than I do..." she whispered, her breath panting with every syllable.

"It's my job, baby..."

Without thinking, Ana gave a gentle pull at his shirt collar, and hoped he didn't catch her trying to bat a tear away when she caught herself. She couldn't shake the thoughts of the scars beneath the fine fabric, or the nightmares that he must have suffered. She wished he'd open himself to her offering of comfort, but she knew that day was likely far off. For the moment, she had to simply remember that he did care enough to confide in her once, all the while hoping that he'd be willing to reveal more to her soon.

"So, let's review here, Miss Steele," Christian murmured, his lips passing her neck as if to divert her from her haunting reverie. "What did you learn this morning?"

"I learned, Kind Sir," Ana smiled, "that it is indeed possible to exert some self-control, even when being enticed by a skilled and handsome man...and that one can contain herself - at least verbally - in the throes of excitement when her roommate is asleep on the other side of a very thin wall..."

"Beautiful _and_ eloquent, you are," he kissed her quickly on the lips, then sat up to divest himself of the condom. He caught Ana minding him with pure fascination from the corner of his eye. "You like to watch me play with myself, Miss Steele?"

"Maybe I do, Sir..."

"Well, _maybe_ later..." his eyes teased. "Now, please, baby, don't think I'm leaving you, but I do have a meting later this morning, and I really do need to get back to my place for a bit."

"In Darfur - or somewhere?" Ana repeated Kate's words from her conversation with Christian in the kitchen the night before.

Grimacing, he tucked his shirt into his jeans. "Oh, you heard every word last night, didn't you, baby? You weren't sleeping at all..." he asked without expecting an answer. "It's actually a deal right here in New York, and I'm looking to have everything signed and sealed rather quickly. So, unfortunately, I must work on a Saturday...but I will see you later today."

"As long as you **_tell me_** that you're leaving, I won't take issue," Ana said.

"Turn over for a minute, baby," he said as he slipped back into bed with her.

"Another practice run?" she mused as she rolled over on to her tummy.

"No, Ana," he whispered, smoothing his hands over her backside. "I wanted to make sure you're healed from last Saturday...and your ass is looking finer than ever, I must say..."

"You take such care with me, Mr. Grey..."

"I do try..." He eased her on her back once more and leaned in for a quick snuggle. "Now, listen, I do have a surprise for you, and Sawyer will be by at one-thirty to pick you up..."

"I guess you're not telling me where we're going?" she pressed him.

"You're flying solo this afternoon," he said with a wink. "Just wear comfortable clothes..."

"Christian, what...?"

Kissing her quickly on the lips, he eased her gently back to her stack of pillows. "I'll see you this evening. Now, please, Ana - get some sleep..."

Once again, Ana faced that damn dilemma of knowing not what to wear for Christian's latest outing. However, on that afternoon, Ana decided to rely solely on her own instincts rather than asking Kate for a consultation. She simply wasn't prepared for another conversation like the one they'd had the evening before, and she wanted to keep as much distance from her best friend as she could...at least for the moment.

Ana chose a simple white eyelet sundress and her favorite pair of red sandals. She was, per his instructions, comfortable - yet she felt that her outfit could carry her into nearly any situation that a (hopefully) casual Saturday afternoon could present.

"You look adorable!" Kate squealed from her usual post on the couch as Ana slipped into the living room en route to the door. "So what's on the agenda for today?"

"I honestly don't have a clue - he never tells me," Ana answered, wondering if Kate actually believed her.

Bouncing to her feet, Kate followed Ana to the door. "Are we OK, Steele? I'm really sorry - about last night..."

"It's all fine, Kate," Ana assured her, knowing that somehow, they'd work this out. "We'll talk. I just have a lot on my mind right now..."

"I know you do, and I feel terrible for adding to all of that stress," Kate admitted. "You're burning the candle at both ends..."

"Well, hopefully, I can find another job just as easily as I found this one," Ana said with confidence. "Meanwhile, I do need to run..."

"Have fun today - whatever you end up doing!" Kate called out as Ana headed down the hallway toward the elevator. "Will you be home tonight?"

Ana turned and winked at Kate. "I wouldn't wait up, if I were you!"

# # #

"So, Anastasia," Sawyer said as he stopped the car near St. Patrick's Cathedral, just off Fifth Avenue, "do you see that lovely little blonde in the navy blue suit standing at the side entrance of Sak's?"

In truth, Ana hadn't even realized they were near the famed department store, let alone right outside. When she glanced out the tinted window, she nodded. "I see her."

"Her name is Caroline Acton, and she's a personal shopper," Sawyer explained. "Mr. Grey has hired her services for you for the afternoon..."

Jaw dropping in disbelief, Ana clamored to gather her scattered thoughts. "You...you must be kidding, Sawyer," she insisted. "He wouldn't just..."

"I'll be waiting here when you're finished, Ana," he said and stepped out of the car to open Ana's door. "Enjoy your afternoon..."

"Miss Steele," Caroline extended a hand as Ana moved closer, "I'm Caroline Acton, and it's a pleasure to meet you this afternoon..."

"You as well," Ana said, then followed as Caroline ushered her through the revolving door.

"So, I understand you have a huge party to attend next weekend in the Hamptons," Caroline continued, rushing past all of the make-up and perfume counters and the throngs of Saturday tourists passing through the store. "Black tie..."

When Christian said he'd take care of her outfit for Grace's big event, Ana had no idea he meant that he'd send her on a Cinderella spree. This gesture, while quite a lovely one, was just so excessive, and part of Ana just wanted to crawl under the La Prairie counter and hide.

Until that afternoon, Ana's only other experience shopping at such a high-end department store had been her little splurge with Kate at Bloomingdale's. However, that day, she only had to focus on simple, casual everyday wear. Ana knew absolutely nothing about _haute couture_, and the thought of choosing the perfect outfit for Grace's shindig - even with the help of a professional - terrified Ana to death.

Once again, she found herself being escorted in a private elevator, through a few winding hallways...then on to a set of doors that required a passcode for entry. For a moment, Ana felt as if she were on her way to Fort Grey.

Realization over the security measures settled over Ana once Caroline opened the door to the luxury lounge filled with silk upholstered fabric chairs and couches in shades of cream and ice blue, a carved mahogany vanity, gilded mirrors and one bottle of Bollinger propped in an ice bucket on the table.

"The champagne is courtesy of Mr. Grey..." Caroline was quick to point out.

"He does think of everything," Ana smiled, knowing full well that she'd need a glass to make it through the afternoon.

So lost in her surroundings, Ana had completely missed the rack of designer gowns of luxurious fabrics in every possible color that Ana could imagine from Monique Lhuillier, Reem Acra, Elie Saab and other top names in fashion - labels that she'd only associated with the Red Carpet arrivals at the Oscars.

"Now, I should tell you that Mr. Grey has already approved this selection," Caroline continued, "but it's up to you, Miss Steele, to make the final decision."

Ana was absolutely flustered. She had no idea where to even start, as Caroline rambled on about shoes, a handbag and jewelry. No, she didn't have any special pieces she'd planned on wearing that should be accommodated in her choices, nor did she have any idea how she planned to wear her hair. Oh, this was the most humiliating moment of her life - next to only the night Christian forced her to order condoms then answer the door to retrieve their delivery...and also that little scene in Christian's study with Dr. Grey.

"A glass of champagne, Miss Steele?"

Ana wasn't certain how long Caroline had been holding the flute and the bottle, so lost in her own confusion was she.

"Um, yes, please, Miss Acton..." Make that a double, she added to herself.

There were simply too many selections - jewel tones, pastels, neutrals, silk, satin, chiffon - and with every gown that Ana tried on, she felt as if she were standing in someone else's body. So far, she'd made six trips into the fitting area, and none of the dresses seemed to flatter her tiny, pale frame.

However, just as Ana prepared to give up in frustration, Caroline plucked a dress from the rack and handed it to Ana with a grin. "Try this one," she encouraged. "The sapphire color will enhance the beautiful blue in your eyes..."

Reluctantly, Ana took the gown, which filled her arms and then some, and retreated back to the dreaded dressing room once more. She cast the little silk robe aside, and very slowly stepped into the delicate folds of material. With a cursory look at herself, Ana managed a half-smile before she stepped outside the curtain and asked Caroline to zip the back.

The dress was absolutely exquisite - elegant yet classic from the House of Alexander McQueen. The strapless gown with a pleated sweetheart neckline in a brushed satin navy blue fabric did indeed bring out the color in Ana's eyes, and she adored the tiny train that puddled so perfectly at her feet. For a moment, she wondered how comfortable Christian would be with her showing so much skin - from her bare shoulders to the dip of her breasts - however, he did hand-pick his selections before she arrived, Ana reminded herself.

Just to complete the look, Ana pulled her hair into a faux French knot, then turned to Caroline, the desperation for assurance so evident in her eyes.

"Honestly, Miss Steele," Caroline began, "I think you've found your dress..."

"Really?" Ana had to ask. "You think he'll like it?"

"If he doesn't _love_ you in this gown - dump him!" She was already pouring Ana a celebratory toast.

However, as Ana accepted the glass, she caught a quick glimpse of the price tag, and nearly spit the bubbly champagne all over herself.

_Four. Thousand. Dollars._

Ana had never spent that much money on anything - let alone a dress she'd likely only wear once. She did realize that some women spent far more on bridal couture, but she just never understood the point of such expenditures. Sadness overwhelmed her suddenly. She simply couldn't accept this gift.

"You know...maybe this isn't the one..." Ana said, shrugging her shoulders as she looked longingly at the pretty girl in that navy blue gown in the mirror. In truth, she'd never felt so lovely in her life, yet that was no excuse to just blow Christian's money on one single dress. Yes, it was a mere subway fare to him, but Ana thought that he could put that cash to much better use.

"Mr. Grey insisted that I remind you that money isn't an object, Miss Steele," Caroline said. "In fact, he said he'll buy the dress anyway if you walk out of here this afternoon."

"Grrr," Ana growled. Of course, he pulled a fast one yet again. "He really did say that, didn't he?"

"Have another glass of champagne," Caroline winked. "Than let's get you down to alterations - we only have a few days before your party!"


	32. Chapter 32

_**Chapter Thirty-Two**_  
"Did my baby have fun this afternoon?" Christian combed his fingers through Ana's hair as she stepped inside the foyer at Fort Grey later that afternoon.

Smiling up at him, Ana shook her finger at him. "You really shouldn't spend so much money on me, Christian."

"I knew you'd try to leave," he said. "Just let me spoil you, please? Really, Ana, it's just much easier..."

"Well, thank you, Mr. Grey, for this afternoon," she said. "You really do know how to make a girl feel like a princess."

"Anything for you, Miss Steele..." His tired eyes twinkled, playfully pulling her into and under his spell.

As he put his arm around Ana's waist and walked her toward the great room, Ana couldn't help but note that he looked absolutely frazzled, with his mop of copper hair looking like his fingers had played with those locks for hours that afternoon. His tie hung limply around his neck; his light blue shirttails hung over his navy blue suit pants.

Once they sat down on the couch, Ana touched his cheek. "Someone's had a long Saturday..."

"It'll all be worth it in the end, baby," he said. "_Trust me_..."

"Want to tell me about it?" she asked.

"Not particularly," he said, his smile bemused. "I'd much rather sit here and think about you slithering in and out of those yards of gossamer today..."

"Well then," Ana began, "you should know that the gown I chose was the-"

Quick to cover her lips with his finger, he said, "Shhhh, don't tell me. I want to be surprised."

"You love that game, don't you - of being surprised," she observed.

"There weren't many in my childhood, Ana," he said, his eyes dimming yet again, "so I indulge in them now."

For a moment, Ana wondered if maybe he felt like talking - opening up just a little more about the trials from his past that continued to preoccupy his every move, every word, every step.

However, he was once again so quick to change the subject. "And I have one more surprise for you this evening, Miss Steele," he said, "but I'm worried right now that you haven't eaten."

"Does that mean you'll tie me to the chair again and force feed me?"

Christian's laugh was almost devilish as it rolled from his throat. "No, baby," he teased her with his eyes, "I have other plans for you tonight...after we have a quick dinner..."

# # #

"OK...now, close your eyes..."

Ana allowed Christian to take her hand, but she already knew they were heading into The Red Room of Pain. She smiled as she heard him unlock the door and stepped cautiously beside him, allowing him to be her guide.

The silk carpet almost seemed to tickle her bare feet, and the mere touch of his fingers sent tingles shooting through her arm. There was simply no point in denying her arousal. Anticipation alone sent her hormones into a tailspin.

Once they stopped, Christian murmured in her ear, "I'm going to undress you, but I want you to keep your eyes closed. Understand, Miss Steele?"

"Yes, Sir..."

Dragging the zipper of her dress so unhurriedly along the track, he continued to speak, to fill her in on their agenda for the evening. "I'm not going to punish you tonight, Ana," his voice soothed as his fingers brushed at the straps of her sundress, slipping them down to fall at her shoulders. "In fact, I'm going to reward you since you've had such a horrible week..."

How she longed to lean against him, but remained as still as she possibly could. His voice alone could so easily bring her to her knees. "Thank you, Sir," she whispered.

"It's not always all about punishment, baby," his lips followed the path of his fingers, kissing and caressing her bare skin. "But that's not saying that it won't hurt. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir..." She shivered as the mere flick of his fingers slithered her dress away to a heap of eyelet at her feet. "Pleasure...and pain..."

"Good girl..."

His fingers snapped open the clasp of her bra, then dragged the straps over each arm with the pull of his teeth. Gingerly, his hands eased over her hips and down her thighs, stripping away her white silk panties. Ana fought with herself to keep her eyes closed. She wanted to watch his every move.

"Open your eyes. And pick up your clothes, Miss Steele," his steady voice ordered. "You know I hate it when you're messy in the playroom."

"Yes, Sir..." As she bent over to retrieve her outfit, Christian minded her from behind, intensifying Ana's need as she felt his eyes upon her. Carefully, she folded everything into one neat pile, then turned to face him.

"Such a good girl this evening, baby," he said and took her clothes from her hands. "I think you deserve a present..."

"Oh, Sir..." she murmured. "Too many..."

"Never enough," he said, and turned her to face a darkened corner of the room. "Walk over there, and you'll find your reward..."

Slowly, she made her way, following Christian's direction while he lingered so very closely behind. The sweet roll of her laughter echoed in the quiet room as she bent down and ran her fingers over the finely polished mahogany wood chest that bore the initials _**A.R.S.**_carved into the lid.

"I think that's a first..."

As she turned to grin at him, her hair fluttered about her back and shoulders. "What's that, Sir?"

"The sound of giggles in the Red Room of Pain," he mused.

"A toy box..." Ana squealed like a child on Christmas morning. "Thank you, Sir - I love it!"

"I never make a promise that I don't keep, Miss Steele," he said. "Now, open it up..."

As Ana lifted the lid, her smile grew bigger, her giggles a little louder. "Toys!"

"They're not all for tonight, baby. You're not quite ready for all of them yet." Unable to resist the urge to see her reactions up close, Christian got down on his knees beside her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Now, first, tell me the rule about your toys."

"I can't play with them without permission, Sir..."

"Well, you're quite the impressive little novitiate this evening, aren't you, baby?"

Some things Ana recognized from her perusal of the worldwide pornographic web. There were various playthings that vibrated ranging in size and girth, steel cuffs, leather cuffs, an assortment of clamps in various styles...a remote controlled _egg_?

She piled the various boxes and packages beside her, making sure she took note to pick them up once she finished her perusal. Just as she'd reached the bottom, she thought she was finished, but Christian whispered in her ear, "There's one more..."

Reaching in again, Ana felt the tickle of the soft velvety box, and turned to face him as she held it in her hands.

"Go ahead..." Christian nodded. "You may open it..."

A tiny gasp caught in her throat when she lifted the lid to find a choker, glittering with five rows of diamonds that surrounded one solitaire sapphire in the center.

"Christian...Sir...this..."

Carefully, he lifted the elegant piece from the box, unclasped it, and held it up to her neck. "Do you understand what this is, Anastasia?"

"I..." She blinked, wondering why she felt like crying all of a sudden. "I...I think so...Sir..."

"I want to collar you, baby," he whispered. "Do you know what I'm asking of you? Do you know how important this is?"

Of course she'd read up on collaring, but never imagined she'd be wearing one around her own neck. She knew this was a very serious commitment - one that stretched to emotional limits far beyond mere role play. Saying yes meant she was _his_ - and _his alone_.

With a slow nod, Ana said, "Yes, Sir...I understand..."

"Do you think you're ready for this?" he asked.

Ana looked at the choker, then into his stormy, uncertain eyes. With the significance of this moment weighing heavily upon her conscience, she questioned herself and her own motives, circling back every time to the same conclusions.

Ana wanted - needed - Christian in ways that she knew she didn't yet fully comprehend. He'd enticed her with his prowess, but forced her ever so gently to stay with his kindness, his affection...his concern for all matters in her little life. She adored his silly side, ached for his dominance and pitied the heart-wrenching terror he faced in his childhood. Yes, he was generous, but the gifts meant so little to Ana - he could have offered her a cheap nylon collar from the pet store and she would have acquiesced. In fact, she found herself falling the hardest when he coddled her in her state of exhaustion, fought to control his anger against her terminally evil boss, listened to her rattle through the details of her days.

"Yes, Sir," she whispered, holding his gaze, "I'm ready for this..."

"You never cease to please me, baby..." Choker in hand, he stood up, leaving Ana wide-eyed on the floor. "Kneel up for me. And lift your hair."

In obedience, Ana savored the seconds as Christian held the sparkling collar to her neck.

"With this collar, Anastasia, you become mine," he said. "_**All mine**_. And with that, I promise to give you my undivided attention and care...and guidance on this journey we're taking together. And in return, all I ask is from you is trust - complete and total _trust_."

"I give you my trust, Sir..."

Christian paused for just a moment and took a deep breath into his lungs before he clasped the collar around her neck.

"So beautiful, baby..." He caressed her cheek with the backs of his fingers, and lifted her chin. "Want a look in the mirror?"

Ana couldn't resist a smile. "Of course, I do, Sir..."

Taking her hands, he helped her to stand, then directed her toward the full-length mirror.

Lips trembling, Ana touched her shaky fingers to the lone sapphire. For the second time in just hours, she marveled at an image she didn't recognize in the mirror. The Anastasia Steele staring back at her looked so pretty, so happy...so complete.

"You can wear this when we play - wear it when we're out...and every time it's around your neck, you'll remember that you belong to me..."

Overwhelmed by her own raw feelings, she watched as a single tear fell down her cheek, but Christian was at her side to wipe it away with his thumb.

"Why are you crying, baby?"

"It's...it's so beautiful...not just the collar..." she struggled to convey her thoughts and feelings to no avail. "I mean...just...it means that I'm yours. _All yours_..."

"Oh, my dear Ana..." he breathed. "My sweet baby, Ana..."

For the first time and without a second's hesitation, Christian wrapped Ana in his arms and pulled her against his chest, cradling her head against him and the scars hidden beneath his shirt.

That moment was not lost on Ana, and she began to sob so freely, her emotions throttling into overdrive. She clung to him with almost a sense of desperation, indulging the security of being so close. His heartbeat thundered against her ear, but she refused to let go. Yes, he needed her trust - and Ana realized that she still had a long way to go before he could place his total faith in her - but this move toward commitment on his behalf was an unexpected affirmation.

"I hate to see you cry," his lips spoke softly against her hair.

"They're happy tears, Kind Sir..."

"You know that you're the only one, Ana-the only woman I've ever collared..." he said, gliding his fingers over the rows of diamonds circling her neck. "And you're the only one who hasn't signed a contract..."

Looking up to catch his eyes, Ana rested her chin against his chest. "I told you that I would-"

"Shhhh, baby..." He caught her lips for a quick kiss to silence her.

"Christian, I'm ready," she insisted. "Tonight..."

"Listen, Ana..." Those long fingers returned to his hair, tugging and pulling. He looked away. "About that contract..."


	33. Chapter 33

**_Chapter Thirty-Three_**  
Oh, how he drove Ana halfway to crazy and back with his Fifty Shades of Perplexity.

He'd just collared her, yet now, he hesitated about the contract. The waters had muddied once again. Ana blinked, and shook her head. She simply no longer knew what to think. One minute, he'd draped her in diamonds, promising her safety - if not stability - in his maddening world. In the next breath, he seemed almost frightened by his own actions. Were they still in "arrangement" mode, or did he harbor intentions for something more sincere?

"Ana, what I'm trying to say is-" Christian cut himself off, and folded his hands delicately over her bare shoulders. "I'm so terrible with this stuff..."

"What _stuff_?" her eyes implored him.

"Ana, that this is so very different for me - with you." Tenderness softened his gaze, his smile, his expression. "Yes, I want your submission...but honestly, it's more than that. For the first time in my life..."

Uncertain herself of the workings in a budding relationship, Ana found her tongue tied again. She had to admit, though, a Flustered Fifty always made her heart do a few cartwheels. "Yes...?"

"I really don't want you to sign the contract," he said at last, tenderness fading now to frustration. "The others - oh, this sounds so crass - they were all just...business deals for me. Negotiating what I thought I wanted and needed at the time..."

"And now...?" her voice rose timidly between them, challenging - pressing him.

"Now, _you're_ here, baby," he whispered. "I haven't managed to scare you away with the ugly side of my life. I never confided in anyone before because they weren't in this for any reason but to get what they needed at the moment. And you've already proven to me that's not your intention at all."

Kate had always said that it was never a good idea to reveal your emotions too soon to any man. However, Ana ignored the echoes of those warnings in her head. Christian needed that assurance.

"That's because I care about you - care about who you are, what you're doing, where you've been," she said. "And I care about your past just as much as whatever the future has to hold..."

"I know that," he said simply. "And that's exactly why we're here - why I decided to collar you - tonight. It's already gone far beyond the sex with you, Ana. I hope you realize that..."

"I do," she smiled. "But the sex is pretty good, too..."

"Can I admit to you now that your naiveté coupled with your wildly open mind has turned me on like no other woman has...ever...?"

Eyes playful, Ana challenged, "Only if I can admit how tantalizingly exasperating it is when you ensnare me in such intense affection, then force me to question your motives...and then reduce me to a quivering bowl of Jell-O...all within the scope of about ten minutes?"

"Fair point, so very well made, Miss Steele..."

"Are we playing again?" she teased, then dropped in for good measure, "Kind Sir?"

"I believe we are, Miss Steele."

"And the contract?" she asked again.

"Behave for me tonight, and I'll let you burn it in the fireplace..." he baited. "For starters, I think someone needs to pick up her toys. But you can choose one to play with this evening."

"Yes, Sir..."

Leaning against the dresser, Christian took a step back and folded his arms as Ana made her way back to the toy box and sat down again to pack away all of her gadgets and gizmos, studying each before she placed them in the chest. All the while, he could sense her fluster from across the room, but the sight of her - wearing nothing but her collar, examining her toys - left him so very amused.

However, he couldn't resist for long, and joined her on the floor. "Have we made our selection yet?"

"Well...um...Sir..." _Don't bite your lip, Ana,_ she told herself, _he just collared you_! "How about this...thingie...Sir?"

He took the package from her hands, then tapped her on top of her head with it. "This 'thingie,' as you call it, Miss Steele," he began, "is called an egg..."

"I see that on the label, Sir," Ana said. "But I'm curious as to what it - how it..."

Christian shook his head. "Try again, Miss Steele," he said and dropped it in the toy box. "I have other plans for this."

Sighing, Ana continued her desperate perusal.

"Just remember, this isn't a punishment night," he said. "By letting you choose, Miss Steele, I'm rewarding you..."

"Thank you, Sir..."

"My pleasure, baby," he said as he continued to watch over her shoulder.

"OK, Sir," she said at last, holding up a strand of nipple clamps. They were quite simple looking - almost primitive - with a long, stainless steel chain connecting the two rubber-tipped clamps. "These, please?"

"Ah, Miss Steele, you know those won't tickle," he teased.

"I'm aware, Sir," she said, dangling the chain in front of him.

"However, they are adjustable. I can control the sensation a bit - see the screw?" He took them from her hands and pinched one of the clamps to open. "The more I tighten it, the greater the pain. Do you think you can handle this tonight?"

"If I can't, Sir," she began, "may I use my safeword?"

"You can _always_ use your safeword, Ana," he said. "Don't ever think you need to ask permission..."

"Then, please, Sir...can we _try_?"

Reaching into the chest, he pulled out a second, identical pair.

"Two...sets?" Ana stammered.

"X marks the spot, baby," Christian said. "Now, come to bed with me..."

Christian gently pressed her shoulders, urging her backward to lie flat on the bed. Ana swallowed the lump in her throat then caught her breath, while she watched him as he opened the clamp and held it so very close to his intended target.

Ana squinted her eyes shut as the clamp closed around her tender, swollen bud. She breathed steadily, filling her lungs, as he tightened the screw, and waited for the pain to seize her.

"Does that hurt, baby?"

"No, actually, Sir..."

"Just wait..." He tightened the screw once, twice - a third time - before she grimaced, then tightened it again for good measure, sending a white hot pain shooting from the tip of her breast and fanning out over her chest that seemed to fade just as quickly as it began. Then he leaned back on his knees beside her, just to look at her writhing beneath him before he reached for the second set and affixed one of the clamps to her other nipple.

"Two more clamps, baby..." He held a strand in each hand, pulling at her nipples. "What shall I do with them?"

"Whatever you wish, Sir..."

"Good girl." He patted her head. "Now, if you were paying attention, I gave you a clue."

"X marks the spot," she winced again, but her underlying tone was triumphant. "Sir."

"Right, you are, baby," he said. "Now, can you guess where I'm going to connect them?"

"Uhhh..."

"This is no time to be shy, Miss Steele," he reprimanded. "I think you know. Now, tell me..."

"Down...there...somewhere, Sir..." she said waving her hands in the direction of her belly.

"Where?" He touched his hand between her legs, tickling. "Here?"

"Yes, Sir..." He was purposely manipulating her, tempting her with the promise of an orgasm that she knew he wouldn't allow just yet. "Right..._there._.."

"Oh, baby, you need to work on your self-control," he taunted.

Stiffening her legs, she pulled her thighs close together, essentially trapping his hand for a moment before she forced herself to relax. Opening her big blue eyes, she met his steely gaze, challenging him.

Crossing the chains over her stomach then carefully pinning each clamp over her lower lips, he continued to watch her as he tightened the screws.

She shivered, not from the pain, but from the chill of the steel chains intersecting over her belly. Oddly, she felt nothing below except the slight pull of the clamps and the fierce strain of her own desires. Any discomfort she continued to sense radiated from her breasts, and seemed to come in short waves.

"Before we continue, baby," he whispered, "safeword?"

"Um...yellow, Sir..."

"I'm going to loosen these a little, Ana. Just keep in mind, it's going to pinch as I adjust them..."

Ana held her breath as a slight twinge of pain claimed first her right nipple, then her left, as Christian's deft fingers worked at the screws.

"Better?"

"Yes, thank you...Sir..."

"Now, I think it's time for a little bedtime story."

"A bedtime story?" she repeated.

His hands smoothed over her hips and his fingers crept so very closely to the clamps on her lower lips. Gently, he traced the lines of the steel chains up and over her belly toward her breasts, stopping only briefly for one sharp tug.

"Oh...Chris...I mean..._Sir_!" she called out suddenly. The pleasure and the pain fused together, creating a sensation that continued to leave her mystified.

He simply ignored her plea and moved on. "Yes, my darling baby, a bedtime story. We seem to have some time to kill while you get used to your new toy," Nuzzling his nose against the top of her head, he began to whisper, "Once upon a time...there was a sweet, lovely submissive, with big blue eyes, silky chestnut colored hair..." Between his fingers, he caught a lock of her thick mane and tickled it against her cheek, tapped it to her nose, feathered it over her mouth. "_But she was so very bad_..."

His fingers stroked up and down her sides, from her hip almost to the cup of her breasts, then traveled back again...and again.

"Now, she had a Master who adored her. He lavished her with attention. He comforted her when she was afraid-" Christian paused as he inched his way a little further up her breast, stopping right near the clamp and circling her sensitive nipple with barely the brush of his index finger. "-took care of her when she was hurting. Bought her more than enough toys to keep her curiosities occupied. And yet, she was always so tempted to misbehave..."

He looked down upon Ana. "Sound like someone you know, baby?"

Lips quivering, Ana managed a weak, "Yes...Sir..."

"Her Master was so patient with her. He painstakingly coached her in proper manners. He punished her when it was warranted, but he also took a lot of time teaching her how to embrace the exquisite pleasure she derived from the pain." Leaning downward, he rubbed his cheek against her breast before closing his lips around the clamped nipple, pulling and suckling. Beneath him, Ana arched her back. Her eyes closed, and her jaw slackened. Promptly, he pulled his mouth away.

"Sexually, she was his perfect match," Christian continued, and slipped his palm between the chains and her stomach. "But at the same time, she was so insatiable..."

Christian could feel the rise and fall of her tummy against his hand as her breathing began to slow. While she had relaxed her struggle, he could still feel the tension of every muscle in her body as she lay against him. However, he knew this was only the calm between storms. In moments, she could be clamoring for him once again.

"In fact, there were times that she was so greedy for her own pleasure that she often forgot that her role was to please her Master. And that displeased him..._royally_." Christian flattened his hand over her tummy, his hand warming the cold steel against her skin. "Now, baby, can you guess what happened to this submissive?"

"He punished her," Ana wiggled against his touch, again feeling the slight pull of pain. "Sir."

"He certainly did, baby," Christian said, pressing down gently, attempting to still her. "In fact, he took away her orgasm privileges for a week..."

"_**A week**_?" Ana gasped, then gasped again when Christian tugged the chains once more. "Sir!"

"But underneath his rather - gruff - exterior...he was a good master..."

"A Kind Sir?"

"A very kind Sir," Christian agreed. "And on the seventh night of her punishment, he fed his submissive her favorite meal, then carried her to his dungeon. Are you afraid yet, baby?"

"No, Sir."

"Safeword?"

"Pale yellow, bordering on mint green, Sir..."

"Good girl..." Against her hair, he smiled. "So...back to the dungeon. Now, Master was very pleased with his submissive because she followed his direction all week. She didn't touch herself - didn't play with her toys. _Didn't even bite her lip_. So do you know what he did for her, baby?"

Squirming just slightly, Ana knew she couldn't take much more. However, it wasn't the pain that plagued her - it was the denial. "Did he reward her...Sir?"

"Of course, he did." Again, his fingers teased and tickled over the metal fasteners at her breasts. "In fact, he bound her to the bed with leather cuffs, and - without even touching her - coaxed her to come and come and come again with just the sound of his voice."

_Hurricanes, Ana. Wildfires. War. Nuclear destruction. You can do this, Steele._

"And - and did they all live...happily...ever after, Sir?" she struggled, breath catching with every word.

"Why, they _did_ - _**until she misbehaved again,**_" his voice teased. "Baby, I think you've had enough of these clamps for one night..."

"May I come, Sir?"

"No, not yet," he said. "I need you to listen to me, Anastasia, OK?"

Suddenly, she stilled herself. "Yes, Sir."

"This is the part that really hurts, so please brace yourself. Hold on to me, if you have to, OK?"

"Yes, Sir..."

"Now, take a deep breath, baby..."

As he removed the first clamp, pain seared suddenly from her nipple throughout her breast, followed by a ripple of pleasure that trickled down deep into her belly and between her legs. With a strength she didn't realize she possessed, Ana gripped his upper arms, squeezing with all her might - aching with the delight that scorched through her body. With each release, Christian brought her full circle with his dizzying cycle of hurt and ecstasy.

At last, his lips were there, licking and pampering over the imprints on her skin from the clamps. His breath was warm, soothing the hurt away, and Ana moved against him, wanting nothing more than to hold him closer.

He caught her breasts in his hands then, kneading softly with the utmost care as he checked just to make sure there were no breaks or cuts on her skin. "How are we doing here, baby?"

"Mmmm..." Ana murmured.

"Was it too much?"

"Yes..." She tossed her head back and forth on the pillow. "No...it was just so intense."

"Would you do it again?"

Ana opened her eyes. There was a tiny, shy smile playing on her lips. "I think so..."

Suckling her once more before returning his lips to hers, Christian nudged against her, promising her more.

Then with a suddenness that Ana hadn't anticipated, he dragged himself out of the huge bed, then patted his thighs. "Come here, baby..." Slowly, Ana pushed herself up from the stack of pillows behind her and crawled toward him, then kneeled before him on the mattress. "Wrap your legs around my waist."

In one fluid movement, Christian hoisted Ana into his arms and cuddled her for just a moment before he turned and headed toward the door.

"Where are we going now, Kind Sir?" she whispered in his ear, as she folded her hands together at the back of his neck.

"I want to make love with you, baby," he answered. "But not in here..."

Slowly, he carried her toward the closed door opposite the playroom, and carefully turned the knob with Ana still in his arms. "I want you in my bed tonight, Anastasia."

Christian's room was a huge space with floor to ceiling windows that offered an alternate view from the living room, showcasing Central Park right down the street and providing the perfect frame for Strawberry Fields, now dark and shadowy against the night sky. The furniture was heavy, dark and masculine, with a four-poster bed as the centerpiece, accented with crisp linens in hues of blue and grey, all appointed in the finest cottons and fabrics that money could buy. So simple, yet soothing, Ana thought as she looked around for the first time.

Delicately, he eased her down to the bed, then took a step back to admire her again wearing his collar.

"Christian..." Ana tugged at his shirt tails. "Please take this off..."

"Ana, I-"

"Please?" she begged so sweetly, tenderness filling her sentiment. "I promise I won't touch you. _Please_?"

Turning away so as not to face Ana, he unzipped the suit pants he still wore, and hurried them to the floor in one swoop with his boxer briefs. Head shaking, brow furrowed, he hurried through the buttons on his shirt, starting at the bottom, then stopped himself before he pulled his shirt away from his shoulders. When he reluctantly turned to face her at last, Ana reached out and took his hand in hers.

"You're beautiful, Mr. Grey, inside and out," she murmured. "And maybe one day, you'll let me touch you..."

"Ana-"

"Just come to bed, please?" she asked. "It's lonely here without you..."

"Well, we can't have that," he whispered. "Can we, baby?"

His lips met hers in a leisurely fashion, teasing and playing against each other, and Ana indulged in this sweetness, as he coddled and caressed her from head to toe.

This tender assault on her senses - this break from their norm - brought her a calm like she'd never experienced with him before. She simply enjoyed the pleasure of each touch, every kiss, and allowed her fulfillment to build slowly. She opened her eyes and surveyed his every move as those same hands that spanked and squeezed her swept tenderly over her shoulders, her arms, and the ticklish spot on the inside of her wrist.

Their gazes met, locking, as his lips followed his hands to her breasts, his tongue playing along the curves of the underside then so delicately flicking at her sensitive nipples. As he moved higher to claim her mouth again, he leaned into her, allowing her to feel the pressure of his hardness against her tummy. He stretched his arm out to the nightstand and reached for a condom.

With one long excruciating movement, he was fully enveloped inside her. His sigh was so deep that the trickle of his breath tickled her face and neck. And he remained so still as she clutched him with every last bit of energy she could muster and entwined her legs with his, wanting him to stay right there for ever.

Christian began to rock ever so slowly against her, one slow thrust at a time, and Ana's hips easily fell in line with him. His pace was unhurried, deliberate, plunging as deeply inside her as he could. Weaving her fingers into his copper hairline, she pulled at his locks as her mouth opened to his again, her tongue almost in a duel against his as she struggled for breath. She could feel her orgasm beginning to build in tiny ripples deep within, but for once, she didn't care. This closeness to Christian was all she needed.

Over and over, he urged her forward, upward, with each meticulous push, every sweep of his lips over her fevered skin. All the while, he watched her so closely, almost reverently, as she met his own vigor with her own, opening her legs wider, then wrapping them around his waist to accept him wholly and completely.

"You're almost there..." he muttered against her ear.

"So close..."

"Yes - so close..." His words were choppy, husky. Then for the first time that evening, he commanded, "Come, Ana..._come now...now_..."

Shaking and shuddering against him, Ana let go, seeking gratification not in her own pleasure, but in the warm and wonderful sensation of Christian's own catharsis. She opened her eyes to find him staring so intensely back at her, as if he were searching for her soul in those final moments of splendor.

Sated, his body slackened with a calm she'd never seen in him as he hovered above her, his mouth open in awe. Eventually, his lips made their way to her forehead, her temple, her now closed eyelids. He could hear her swallow as she struggled to find her words.

"Stay there, please..." her voice was small, almost timid, as she whispered in the darkness. "Don't leave me yet."

"Not going anywhere, baby," he murmured.

Resting against each other, they lay entwined under the moonlight streaming in through the windows in the bedroom. She could still feel the last of the embers from their tender lovemaking fading just as slowly as he had consumed her. Their breaths became one.

"So I thought you weren't into hearts and flowers," Ana whispered, breaking the silence.

Brushing his lips over her shoulder, he laughed as he whispered, "Can't a man have everything?"

"Fair point, well made, Mr. Grey."

When Christian slipped out of bed and back into his boxer briefs, Ana groaned. "Where are you going now? Is there no rest for the weary here?"

A smirk played over his lips before merging into a devilish grin, and he took Ana's hand. "Come, baby. Let's go burn that contract."


	34. Chapter 34

_**Chapter Thirty-Four**_  
Ana sighed, tense, as she watched the clock in the corner of her desktop. She had just one more e-mail to finish up, and her fingers raced over the keyboard, as she addressed a query from the publicity director about ordering extra galleys for Remington's biggest author who was set to embark on a multi-city tour.

It was only Wednesday, yet Ana felt like she'd been working for a month straight. She'd even swapped her tea addiction for coffee, which had also become a meal replacement for dinner, and she decidedly preferred both the taste and the effects on her fading energy.

Technically, she could leave in twenty minutes by company policy. However, she had to weasel her way through the red tape of Elena Lincoln carefully if she ever planned on arriving at her dress fitting on time. Christian would certainly transcend into Fifty Shades of Furious if she missed her appointment with Caroline that evening.

That voice bellowed, cacophony increasing with each and every tiny step Ana made her way toward Elena's office. Ana wondered briefly if her boss ever managed to have a tender, quiet moment with anyone in her entire lifetime.

Now wasn't the time to fall apart, but Ana couldn't resist her own fraying nerves. She waited for the inevitable slam of the receiver to its cradle before stepping into the doorframe. Elena looked up from the sticky note on which she was scribbling - likely a nasty missive to Ana detailing a project she expected her to finish that evening.

Knocking gently on Elena's door, Ana stepped inside, but kept her distance. She'd literally rehearsed her plea with Jillian that afternoon over their usual three o'clock coffee break, but now scrambled to remember what she'd planned to say. This was more tortuous than any session in The Red Room of Pain. At least Christian kissed her boo-boos and held her until she calmed in the afterglow. She already knew that Elena's bite would definitely result in rabies.

"Do you have a second, Elena?" Ana hated the way her voice rose several octaves every single time she had to speak to this poor excuse for a woman.

"Anastasia, I _never_ have time," Elena shot back. "I'm a busy woman. But you wouldn't understand what that entails. What is it you want now?"

"I need to leave at five-thirty today," Ana said with as much confidence as she could muster against that icy, evil stare. "I have a doctor's appointment."

"Well, you don't _sound_ sick," Elena accused. "Although you do look a little worse for the wear. But I thought that was just your norm, Anastasia."

_I shall resist the urge to punch you in your plastic, medically refitted face, you B****_, Ana thought as she began to grind her teeth. However, if she could delay her orgasms under the crafty touch of Christian Grey, Anastasia Steele could remain cool in the midst of Elena Lincoln's wrath.

"It's an unavoidable issue, Elena," Ana said, remembering Jillian's advice to keep things vague. "You certainly don't want me to pass a virus around the office, do you?"

Elena hissed and threw her arms in the air. "That's the last thing I need, Anastasia."

Fighting hard, Ana swallowed her giggle. Elena's face was clearly trying to show distress, but with the magic of Botox, her forehead never moved.

"Well, just get out of here, then," Elena said at last. "I certainly don't need your little germs infesting my office."

Ana nodded. "I'll see you in the morning."

She wanted to high-five herself all the way back to her cubicle, but stopped next-door to do her happy dance for Jillian first.

"You're free?" Jillian said, covering her mouth as she chuckled.

Ana couldn't curtail her own excitement. She wanted to just bust out in a combination of the Electric Slide, the Macarena and the Chicken dance all at the same time within the constraints of Jillian's tiny workspace.

"Oh, Ana, I'm so happy," Jillian clapped her hands together. "Go get that dress now. But just promise me you'll text me a pic over the weekend - I can't wait to see you guys!"

"Consider it done, Jill," Ana said. "Now, one quick e-mail to the Master of All He Surveys, and I'm outta this jail!"

As Ana sat down at her own computer to punch out a note to Christian, Jillian swiveled around the corner in her chair and poked her head into Ana's cube. "Have fun with Christian tonight, too. Early evenings are too far and few between!"

_**From: Anastasia Steele**_  
_**Subject: Fifty Shades of Fairy Tales**_  
_**Date: June 26, 2013, 17:23**_  
_**To: Christian Grey**_

_Dearest Sir Charming:_

_The Wicked Step-Boss has permitted me an early departure for this evening. I am heading downstairs now to board my Pumpkin for passage to Saks._

_See you this evening?_

_Bibbidi-Bobbidi,_  
_Cinderella Steele_  
_Anastasia Steele_

"'Night, Jill - and don't stay too late!" Ana whispered as she hurried down the line of cubes where everyone else was preparing to leave for the evening.

"Back to Saks, Miss...Ana?" Sawyer asked as she climbed into the car. In truth, she could have walked - the store was so very close to the Remington offices and it was a gorgeous night. However, she knew that Sawyer would insist on following her anyway, so to avoid further discussion, she hopped into the backseat of the sedan and buckled up.

"Yes, indeed..." Ana said somewhat absent-mindedly as she checked her e-mail for Christian's response, but found one from her mother instead. Ana grimaced and opened the missive.

_**From: Carla Wilks**_  
_**Subject: Remember Me?**_  
_**Date: June 26, 2013, 17:29**_  
_**To: Anastasia Steele**_

_Greetings from Savannah!_

_Just wondering if you've run into my daughter in that big bad city. She used to call upon occasion, and she always answered her texts. I'm worried that she's been kidnapped by King Kong._

_I know you're busy with work, but I would love to come up for a visit over the Fourth of July next week. Dying to see you and Kate. Would love some girl time in New York with you both._

_Call me as soon as you can - I'll be up late this evening._

_Love,_  
_Mom_

_Crap. Crap. __**CRAP**__!_

Ana simply didn't know how to respond - didn't even know where to begin. First, there was that little matter with a man named Christian Grey. Ana just hadn't bothered to tell her mother about him - about anything, really - since the night she tripped into his lap. In the beginning, Ana wasn't sure where their relationship was headed, and she didn't feel the need to share any details of her dates with New York's formerly most eligible billionaire with her mother.

Now, however, Christian had planted himself as a major fixture in her life. Naturally, he'd likely expect Ana to spend the coming holiday with him and the Grey clan. A visit from Carla May could easily dissolve any of Ana's own designs to spend her first holiday in New York with her increasingly significant other.

Also, she couldn't ignore the undercurrent of rising tension between herself and Kate. While the two young women cohabitated in the most polite fashion, Ana refused to shake the doubts she began to harbor over their friendship. In college, they were inseparable. Living together in New York, they saw so little of each other. It was as if their lives were taking drastically different turns. However, Ana also remained acutely aware of Kate's views toward her own relationship with Christian, and she refused to simply shrug off her roommate's snark and sarcasm. Yes, Christian's own stubbornness toward Kate didn't help matters, but, Ana reasoned, he did have a genuine gripe with Kate's journalistic practices.

With a sigh of resignation, Ana decided that she couldn't respond to her mother just yet. Closing out, she moved on to Christian's note.

_**From: Christian Grey**_  
_**Subject: BOO!**_  
_**Date: June 26, 2013, 17:33**_  
_**To: Anastasia Steele**_

_Dearest Cindy..._

_Do you really think I'd miss out on a rare weeknight to spend time with you?_

_Text me when you're almost finished with your fitting. You know I don't want to see the dress until Saturday. I'm nearby, so I'll meet you at the side entrance to Saks when you're finished._

_Also, do you realize that one of the wicked step-sisters happens to be named Anastasia?_

_Oh, how Sir Charming loves it when you're wicked...wearing nothing but your collar and a pair of glass slippers._

_See you in a bit, Cinderbaby,_  
_Sir Charming_  
_Christian Grey_  
_CEO, Grey Enterprise Holdings, Inc._

"Something funny back there, Ana?" Sawyer asked as he circled the block around the store, trying desperately to find a parking space during the height of rush hour traffic.

"Your boss, Sawyer," Ana giggled, "is a very silly man..."

# # #

There was something about Christian Grey dressed in a black Armani suit, white button-down shirt and the deepest purple of a tie that simply made Anastasia Steele catch her breath. It was the combination of that boardroom look with those silvery bedroom eyes that simply set her loins on fire. And as he leaned against the car door, with one hand in his pocket and the other scrolling through his e-mails, Ana wanted nothing more than to tell Sawyer or Taylor - or whomever happened to be driving - to get lost so that she could have some fun with her Fifty Shades of Fine in the backseat.

Instead, she held herself in check, added an extra wiggle to her walk, and strolled out of Saks and headed toward Christian. Rising up on her tip-toes, Ana caught his lips for a quick kiss.

"Someone is in a very good mood tonight," Christian smiled, and tugged at her hair. "You should leave on time more often. I like that gorgeous smile, Miss Steele."

"You, too, seem rather cheerful this evening," Ana noted.

"Things are going my way today, baby," he said, taking her hand. "And you know I love to win. Now, tell me, how shall we spend our time together tonight?"

"Um, well...since you've asked..." _Insert lip between teeth_. "I'd..."

"You...just...don't...stop..." Plucking her mouth apart, Christian shook his head. "First with the Cinderella role play -while I was in the middle of closing a deal, nonetheless - now with that lip. You don't want me to take you across the street and spank you right in front of every last tourist at Rockefeller Center, do you?"

She crossed her legs, while still standing, and placed her hands so thoughtfully on her hips. "Well..."

Shoving his phone in his back pocket, Christian couldn't fight the smile on his lips. "Some days, I just don't know what to do with you, baby..." Those fingers returned to that copper hair. "Back to the subject at hand, Miss Steele...have you given a thought to eating today?"

"How about a hot dog?" she suggested.

"A _hot dog_?" Christian took a step back, flummoxed - and somewhat mortified - once again by Anastasia. "Seriously?"

"Yeah!" Ana nodded, batting her big blue eyes. "From a vendor..."

Wrapping his arm around her, Christian asked, "Anastasia Rose, you do realize that I can afford to take you to any restaurant in this city, right?"

"Oh, don't be so Fifty Shades of Cranky, Mr. Grey," her eyes teased. "I want to play tourist! I'm new here. And it's a gorgeous evening. Who wants to sit in some stuffy old restaurant when there's so much to explore?"

"Well, then - a hot dog it is!" he said, then turned to Taylor to alert him they'd be walking. Ana knew he'd follow them along, but she was trying very hard to just adjust to the changes that dating Christian Grey brought about in her sheltered little world. Some days were easier than others, though. "Next you'll be asking for a carriage ride through Central Park."

"Uh, no, thank you," Ana said as they crossed the street into the throngs of tourists meandering through Rockefeller Plaza. "That's horse abuse."

Suddenly, he spun on his heels in the middle of the square, blocking the out-of-towners in the middle of their early evening strolls, and nuzzled her nose with his. "You make me smile, baby..."

They continued on down West 49th Street, passing by NBC Studios and the Today show set, when Ana spotted a food cart just steps down the block. For two dogs and two bottles of water, Christian paid with a hundred dollar bill and didn't stick around to wait for the change. Ana couldn't help but smile, thinking that he must have made that young man's night with the generous tip.

Naturally, Taylor tailed them all the while in the car.

"Now," Christian said, his hands completely full, "where do we sit?"

Pointing to a pedestrian area in front of a skyscraping office building across the street on Avenue of the Americas, Ana suggested, "Why don't we head over there? Seems to be what everyone else is doing."

Ana giggled as she took her seat on the concrete wall with the realization that Radio City Music Hall loomed above them on the opposite side of the street. She was so busy looking around - with as much nonchalance as she could muster - that she'd totally missed the giant marquis as they passed.

"I've always wanted to see the Christmas show," Ana said, then carefully bit into her hot dog and prayed she wouldn't drip ketchup all over the front of her blouse. "You know - seeing the Rockettes on Macy's Parade every Thanksgiving...it always seemed so New York to me."

"May I suggest _The Nutcracker_ instead?" Christian asked. "But we could do both..."

It was the end of June. Christmas was six months away. Yet he was already making plans for the winter holiday season. Yes, Ana resolved, he took her collaring very seriously.

"I've never actually been to the theater," Ana admitted, feeling like a true small town innocent once again. She had so much yet to experience, and she fancied the idea of relishing in those new adventures with Christian.

"_Never_?" he asked.

"Unless you count Kate's star-turn in _The Glass Menagerie_ in college a legit performance, then no..."

"We'll have to fix that," Christian said, "and soon..."

Ana opened her water bottle and allowed the silence to linger between them for a moment, people watching the minutes away while she collected her thoughts. That e-mail from her mother continued to peck at her conscience, and she needed to talk.

"So I heard from my mother today..." Ana began.

Eyes widening, he raised his brows and looked into Ana's eyes. "You never talk about her..." he observed.

"I wish I could lie and say that she was my best friend," Ana said, a hint of sadness rising in her tone, "but we've had a rocky relationship. I don't know - maybe my father's death at such a young age threw her for a loop - but we've never been close."

"I'm so very sorry, Ana," he rubbed his hand over her back. "I figured as much, but I never wanted to press you."

"She's had a string of husbands...failed 'business' ventures...and I just didn't seem to fit into any of that."

"You're lucky you had Ray," he reminded her.

"I love that man..." Ana smiled, and she realized suddenly that she and Christian shared that in common - neither one of them really had blood relatives that they considered true "family." However, Ray was just as much Ana's father as Grace and Carrick were Christian's parents. "But anyway...my point to this...things have changed rather drastically these last few days with us, Christian, and you've become a part of my life now."

"I like hearing you say that, baby."

Ana took his hand and held it for a moment. "She wants to come up for the Fourth of July..."

He shrugged his shoulders. "So...is there a problem? Aside from the obvious?"

"Well...I was sort of hoping...I kinda wanted...to spend the day with you...?"

"We can still spend the day together, Ana," he insisted. "Unless you're not ready for that yet..."

"Are _you_ ready for it?" Ana challenged. "Carla Wilks can be a lot to take in, Christian."

"Come on, baby, how bad can it be?" he asked. "We can take my boat out on the Hudson. I'll invite my parents. We'll eat and be merry for a few hours, then watch the fireworks from the deck. We'll wow her."

"Carla does love to be wowed..." Ana muttered. "Now, I just need to explain to her that I've been spending quite a bit of time with this Kind Sir since I stepped off the plane."

"You haven't told her about us?"

Disappointed in herself, Ana shook her head. "Not yet," she said. "I've hinted around to Ray, though..."

"You know, Ana, you've accepted me - warts and all," Christian said. "It's a two-way street. And this is something that's manageable. She doesn't even live here - it's not like we have to have dinner at her house every Sunday."

"You're right," Ana said. "Again, Sir."

"One day, I have this fantasy that maybe you'll start listening to me..." he teased, leaning in close.

"Oh, wait...you have mustard on your...lip..."

Just as Ana moved in for a kiss...a blinding series of flashes illuminated the dusk falling over the city.

_Caught_. _**Again**_. Before Ana even had the chance to pull her lips away from Christian.

Ana dropped her head to her hands, shielding her face, and muttered, "_Damn_...!" just as the photographer ran off to sell his pictures.

But Christian was quick to tuck her under his arm, comforting her once again. "I just don't care anymore, baby..."

"What?" Ana spat. "Are you crazy?"

"Come Sunday morning, our pictures are going to be plastered all over the Style pages, Ana. My mother's parties draw tons of press," he explained. "I care in the sense that I don't want you to be harmed, but I've decided to just ignore this whole media frenzy. It comes with the territory, and I have a stellar publicity team at GEH. I can't hide you away forever..."

Again, Ana shuddered at the thought of being such a private part of his very public life. Would they always have to mind every last move they made? They were simply two young lovers out on an evening walk. What made that small moment in their lives newsworthy just boggled Ana. However, they couldn't just sit forever in The Red Room of Pain, pondering life outside the walls of Fort Grey forever. There had to be some happy medium.

"Come, baby," Christian stood, taking her hands and swinging her arms playfully. "You wanted to do some sight-seeing tonight..."

"Is it safe?" she wondered out loud.

"Ana, I'm not going to let anything happen to you," he assured her. "Trust me - remember your promise?"

"I do trust _you,_ Christian," she said. "It's other people who scare me."

"Put it out of your mind," he begged her. "Now, where are we headed next?"

"You're not giving up here, are you?"

"Do I ever?" he challenged.

"Well...Times Square isn't far from here, right?" she asked.

"Oh, baby, it's the worst time - the shows are about to start. People crawling everywhere..."

"Sounds good to me, Grey," she said and linked her arm through his. "Maybe we'll get lost in the crowds..."


	35. Chapter 35

_**Chapter Thirty-Five**_  
Ana thought she just might have to throw up when she arrived at her cubicle the next morning to find a copy of _The Daily News_ on her chair with a bright yellow sticky note adhered to the cover, scribbled over with the ever sloppy handwriting of the Botox B****:

_**Some doctor's appointment last night. See me ASAP. -E.L.**_

Setting her coffee cup down on her desk so that she didn't spill it on herself in terror and rage, Ana began to tremble from the inside out. Leafing through the pages, she already knew what she was hunting for. It was that damn photo from the previous evening.

_Bachelor of the business world and Manhattan mogul, Christian Grey was caught again last night kissing his mystery lady near Radio City Music Hall in midtown. He's been spotted twice with the same young woman, but has remained tight-lipped over his smooching partner's identity. A phone call to Grey's publicist was not returned at press time._

When her cell phone began to ring, she groaned as the name SIR popped up on the caller ID.

"Well, we hit the papers again - no surprise there..."

"Listen, I can't...I can't talk right now," Ana whispered feverishly. "I think I'm in big trouble..."

"If that b**** even..."

"Christian, this time it's my fault. I have to go..."

"Baby, wait...!"

Ana just wanted to get this confrontation over with. However, she had to think - and think _fast_ - before she dared to face that woman. Quickly, she tossed the newspaper into her garbage can, smoothed over her black pencil skirt, and headed toward Elena's office for the showdown.

"You wanted to see me, Elena?" Ana said, standing as straight and tall as she could in her tiny frame.

"You-" Elena looked up from a manuscript on her desk that she was pretending to read and pointed her finger at Ana, blood red nail waving in the air. "You lied to me, Anastasia."

"I lied about what, Elena?" Ana asked. She wasn't about to give herself away here. She had to think just like that witch on the other side of the desk.

"You told me you had a doctor's appointment last night!' Elena accused.

"I did indeed have a doctor's appointment," Ana stood her ground, hoping that Christian could pull some strings with someone and get her a note of excuse. He did tell her once that he had a connection who took care of his former sub's concussion. Perhaps it was time for him to dig that name out of his rolodex.

"You were traipsing around the streets, sucking face with that Christian Grey!" Elena's voice boomed.

_Great_, Ana thought. _Now the whole office was going to know._ _Thanks, Botox B****!_

"With whom?" Ana asked.

"Oh, don't be a lying little tramp here, Anastasia," Elena continued, but lowered her voice. "Your picture was in the paper this morning."

Ana wished she had her cell phone with her to record the conversation. Next time, if there was one, she wouldn't be so naive.

"Are you sure it was me?"

Elena opened her own copy of the paper directly to the gossip pages. "Was that not the outfit you were wearing yesterday?"

"Oh, that..."

"Oh, _that_," Elena repeated. "You just wanted to spend a few hours with your little playboy last night. Why do you even need this job if you're dating him? Certainly he could afford your rent and then some..."

"Because I'm trying to make it _on my own_ in this city, and I've never relied on anyone but _myself_ to move forward in my life," Ana said so calmly that she actually made herself proud. "I'll have my doctor send over an excuse as soon as possible. In the meanwhile, as you know, I have a lot of work to finish this morning. Will that be all for now, Elena?"

"Just get out of my office."

_Gladly. b****._

_Botox B****._

When she returned to her desk, she couldn't concentrate on anything. There were texts and e-mails from Christian - from Kate. The only thing that stopped her from heading to Human Resources was indeed the fact that she lied. And now, she could only hope for Christian to work his magic yet again and bail her out. He had more important things to worry him throughout the day - she was sure this was the last thing he needed to deal with that morning. However, she had no choice but to call in a favor.

"Hey, Ana..." Jillian stood just inside Ana's cubicle. "You OK?"

As Ana turned, she shrugged her shoulders. "I'll be fine, Jill."

"I'm so sorry..."

"You better go, Jill," Ana advised. "If she catches you talking to me, then we'll both be in trouble..."

"I'm here if you need to talk..."

By three o'clock that afternoon, Ana had doused quite a few fires on both the professional and personal fronts.

She'd managed to assuage Christian's anger and divert him from coming over to Remington and causing a three-alarm scene. In between frantic e-mails, he, in turn, arranged for her doctor's excuse to cover up her little lie, all the while dealing with his publicity director who had been dodging press calls regarding his "mystery lady" since the photo dropped that morning.

Meanwhile, Ana had to respond to her mother's e-mail, giving her the all-clear to book her flight to New York but not before talking Christian out of sending his private jet to Savannah. Kate's curiosity over the whole new media drama, however, had to wait. Ana simply didn't have the time to deal with her questions.

In between, there were two conference calls, an exchange between an angry agent and the marketing department that she'd been copied on, and a number of appointments she had to confirm for Elena for the following week. Fortunately, for Ana, Elena had kept her distance.

However, when the messenger package arrived from Grey Enterprise Holdings, Ana had to laugh if for no other reason than her absolute frustration with the entire day. And Christian's note on his own personal stationary, attached to the doctor's excuse, made her entire afternoon.

_Hope your "infection" is clearing up. _  
_Your a** owes me. In spades, baby._  
_Spanks,_  
_CG_

Fifty Shades of Filthy. Right in the middle of a work day. She shifted in her seat, as she tucked the note into her bag. That wasn't something she wanted to leave laying around her desk.

With confidence, Ana headed toward Elena's office.

"Here you go," Ana said, placing the excuse on Elena's desk directly in front of the Botox B**** herself. "Dr. Marsden said he'd be happy to take your call if you have any questions."

"What's this?" Elena questioned.

"Doctor's note," Ana replied. "And your three-thirty with Sales has been moved to four in the main conference room. They've asked that you arrive on time, as there's a lot to cover for the fall catalog."

As she turned to leave before Elena had any chance to question her further, Ana realized that it was time for her afternoon coffee break with Jillian.

# # #

"Anastasia, I have remained calm," Christian's voice carried over the line, "and I kept my promise to you. I haven't interfered one damn iota in this whole mess with that boss of yours. In fact, I've taken so much care in restraining myself that I'm sure my blood pressure is up. But so help me-"

"Christian, lower your voice," Ana whispered. "I'm sure Jillian can hear you next door."

"_So help me_, if you're not out of there at five-thirty - I shall come over there and unleash Fifty Shades of Ballistic all over that building..."

The last thing Ana needed was to argue with Christian right before they were about to take off for the Hamptons. It was already five o'clock, and with the stunt Ana pulled in trying to sneak away for her dress fitting, she knew there was simply no way that Elena would let her leave early that night - even if it was a Friday and the rest of the office was completely empty.

Jillian knocked against the wall of Ana's cubicle, pulling her suitcase behind her. Ana knew she was about to leave - she had a wedding to attend back home in Michigan. With the coming holiday, Jillian took the entire week off to spend with family and friends. It was going to be a long evening, and an even longer work week ahead - even with the time off in the middle for the Fourth of July. Now Ana began to wonder if she should have put her mother off for a week or two. Clearly, Carla was going to be spending quite a bit of time with Kate.

Dread crept into her stomach, slithering up her throat. Spankings and nipple clamps weren't nearly as painful as the prospect of spending time alone with Elena Lincoln.

However, Ana stood up to give Jillian a quick hug. "You are going to be the best bridesmaid ever," she told her. "I can't wait to hear all about it."

"We'll send pictures back and forth this weekend," Jillian said. "I can't wait to see your dress, Ana!"

"If I ever get to leave," Ana said somberly. "I think I'm going to be making up for the time I lost on Wednesday evening..."

"Don't let her get to you," Jillian attempted to comfort. "And e-mail me - I want to know how things are going next week.

"Safe travels, Jill..."

"Back to you, Ana...and have fun with your mom!"

Sighing, Ana returned to her seat to finish up a congratulatory note of acceptance for a new author Remington had just acquired. At least, if nothing else, she was getting a huge education in the world of publishing as she took on all of the things that Elena should have been doing.

However, she stiffened when she heard the thump of the Manolo Blahniks pounding against the squeaky floorboards, the sound increasing with each angry step.

The thick manuscript just missed Ana's arm as Elena tossed the ream of paper on her desk. _Botox b**** was back_.

"I need that read and a report written by Sunday evening," Elena barked. "I have to review it by Monday morning. You need to e-mail it to me by seven..."

_Sunday_? How was she ever going to have the time over the weekend? Now, Ana just wanted to cry. So much for her plans of getting all dressed up and going to the ball with Sir Charming.

"And I'll need rejection letters typed and printed for these twenty authors before you leave tonight," Elena said, tossing yet another stack of query letters on top of the manuscript. "Everyone seems to think they're a writer these days. I've never seen so much shoddy work in my life. Including _yours_, Anastasia..."

Perhaps the needle prickled her forehead a little too sharply this week, Ana thought, as she reached for the stack of papers.

"You know, Anastasia, your productivity the last couple of days has just been dreadful," Elena continued to berate. "Maybe you might want to spend less time with that man of yours and pay a little more attention to what you're doing here in the office..."

A sudden boom of a very deep voice echoed through the barren office space. "Anyone here?" the man called out. "Anyone?"

"What the hell is this about?" Elena stood on her toes, looking over the walls of Ana's cube and waved. "We're over here! Oh, dammit, what the hell is going on?"

Immediately, Ana recognized the suited man. It was Zack - one of the security guards from the front desk in the lobby. "Miss Steele, Mrs. Lincoln..." He nodded. "Ladies, you need to evacuate the floor immediately."

"_**What**_?" Elena's eyes widened, but her forehead didn't move.

"Can't take anything with you but your personal belongings," he said.

"That's ridicu-" Elena began. "I demand to know what's going on?"

"I don't know, but we should probably take this seriously, Elena," Ana said, grabbing her sweater and handbag, jumping at the chance to escape while she could. She'd text Christian and make a plan once she got out of the building. Perhaps she'd just grab a cab to wherever he happened to be at the moment. Right now, she didn't have time to waste.

"Get your things, Mrs. Lincoln, I'll have to escort you both out."

"This is just-" Elena continued to stammer. "I demand to know who the hell issued this order?"

"Head of Security, m'am," Zack replied. "Now, please, I don't want to have to call for back-up."

Tugging her cardigan over her light blue blouse and slinging her weekend bag over her shoulder, Ana smiled at Zack as Elena stomped back to her office.

"Shaping up to be a wonderful Friday evening, Zack," Ana mused.

"Need some help there?" Zack asked as Ana hoisted the giant dress bag that had been hanging from her cubicle wall since Saks delivered it that morning.

"Nope - all good. But thank you."

Upon Elena's return, Ana took a step back and followed Zack's lead to the elevator.

"Have a great weekend, Zack - and **_you, too,_** Elena!" Ana called out, as Zack continued to hustle Botox b**** toward the revolving lobby doors. Obviously, he knew Ana wouldn't be the difficult one to...remove from the premise.

Ana waited a moment to avoid any further scenes with Elena in front of the building. When Zack came back in, bellowing, "Coast is clear, Miss Steele - she's in a taxi..." Ana winked, then headed for the door herself.

It wasn't until she stepped outside and found Sawyer waiting with the back door of that now familiar sedan open that the reality of the situation dawned on her.

There was no security breach at all...

# # #

"Christian. Trevelyan. Grey..." Ana said, as she stepped out of the car on to the helipad on the East River pier, her hair blowing in the forceful winds from the helicopter blades spinning round and round. "_What_ did you **_do_**? _Call in a bomb threat_?"

He was obviously in his Fifty Shades of Casual Friday mode in a pair of khakis and a yellow Polo shirt, and his smile was absolutely wicked, as he removed her dress and bag from the trunk of the car.

"Baby, baby, baby..." he muttered. "I would never - ever - break a federal law."

"Not even to bust me out of work so that we could get a head-start on the Hamptons?" Ana pressed, but he knew she was teasing.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Miss Steele," he said, holding on to Ana's waist as she hiked up into the tiny cabin where he buckled her into her seat.

"You saved our weekend, Kind Sir," and she puckered her lips for a kiss.

"Oh, no, not yet, Miss Steele," he taunted. "You can wait for that..."

"So much for Sir Charming..." she retorted as Sawyer climbed into the seat next to her and Christian hopped in and took to tinkering with the controls.

Ana had to admit that her first trip in the helicopter made her stomach lurch. She'd never been in an aircraft so small, but Christian's piloting skills quickly put her at ease. Now as he fiddled around, flipping switches and radioing into air traffic control, she felt safe. However, the gentleman to her left was looking a little green.

"You OK, Sawyer?" Ana asked.

"Sorry, Ana," he gulped and closed his eyes tight. "I hate these things."

"You know where to find the barf bags, Sawyer," Christian said, concentration on the dashboard in front of him never wavering. "Don't throw up on my girlfriend, though - or I'll have to dock your pay."

Ana knew he was teasing about the paycheck, but she couldn't help but to obsess - albeit in the most joyful sense - a little over the fact that Christian had actually used the word "girlfriend" for the first time. _Program, Steele. Get with it. He likes you - __**he really likes you**_.

It seemed like mere seconds had passed before they were floating in the air, hovering above the East River on that clear, blue-skied afternoon. Ana watched as the city seemed to disappear behind them, leaving her job, troubles with Kate and Carla's pending visit behind her for just a couple of glorious days.

"Should be landing at HTO in about an hour," Christian said. "Sit back and enjoy your flight, baby...and you, too, Sawyer..."

# # #

"So how was the drive out this afternoon?" Christian asked Taylor when he'd picked them up at the tiny Hamptons airport.

"Miserable - hours..." Taylor muttered, as he drove away from the helicopter.

"Well, you can fly back with us on Sunday," Christian said. "I don't think Sawyer's going to be...up for it..."

Always curious about her new surroundings, Ana missed Christian's attempt at humor - at poor Sawyer's expense - as she gazed out the window, marveling at the landscape. She'd expected one long beachfront lined with mansions, but the lush greenery surrounding them on all sides left her surprised.

The sprawling estates lining Lily Pond Lane were some of the most regal addresses in the country. In fact, as Christian pointed out, the Clintons had rented property on the same road just the summer before.

Taylor swung a quick turn into the winding drive toward the Grey family's summer home that seemed to Ana to only lead deeper into a forest. The old English manor style house, with ivy crawling up its century-old facade - an anniversary gift from Christian and his brother Elliot to their parents - sat on three rolling acres, with deeded private access to the beach. As the car crept along the cobble-stoned driveway, Ana couldn't mask the wonder on her face.

"Just drive straight to the guest house, Taylor," Christian said, then turned to Ana. "We'll have dinner with my parents and Elliot and Mia later tonight. I just want to get settled first."

Although Ana had already met Grace, she was both excited and nervous at the same time to finally acquaint herself with the rest of the Grey family. She'd heard the legends straight from Christian's mouth - tall tales of the trouble in which he'd engaged with his older brother and younger sister - but she longed to put faces with the names and stories.

All three of their children were adopted since Grace was unable to conceive a child of her own, and the thoughts of Christian's early years prior to his life with the Greys still continued to plague Ana. However, he needed her patience, and Ana didn't have the heart to intrude on his nightmares. He would tell her, she knew, when he gathered the courage. Until then, Ana promised herself, she would wait patiently.

The guest cottage, which was actually a miniature version of the main house, was quite a hike from the rest of the property, and immediately Ana understood why Christian decided to forgo one of the bedrooms at Maison Grey. He protected his privacy - even from his own family.

Christian shook his head in disgust as he helped Ana out of the car. The sound of Coldplay, reverberating from a stereo inside, rattled the glass window panes...and someone on the other side of the door was singing. _Loudly_.

"Oh, how I wish St. Peter would make it sooner rather than later..." Christian mumbled.

"Umm...we have company?" Ana asked, trotting behind Christian up the stone steps to the porch.

"Yeah, I think we do," Christian groused, but a sly smile curled on his lips. "And I would even be willing to wager a bet on our not-so-welcome guest..."

"Luggage, Mr. Grey?" Taylor called out.

"I'll get it in a minute - after I take care of this little problem..."

Rattling the doorknob, Christian found that he didn't need his key, and as he stepped inside with Ana in toe, his voice resounded over Chris Martin's mournful regrets, "Would you turn that crap _down_?"

On the lovely light blue sofa, piled with luxurious silk throw pillows, sat Elliot Grey - wearing a blindingly colorful Hawaiian shirt and cargo shorts, his blonde curls a frizzy mop on his head - with his bare feet up on the coffee table right next to an antique vase...drinking a beer straight from the bottle...puffing on a big fat cigar...and singing.

"Bro - jeez - can you chill the hell out?"


	36. Chapter 36

_**Chapter Thirty-Six**_  
Covering her mouth, Ana couldn't help but snicker as Christian's fingers pulled at his hair.

"And who is this fine young lady? I'm Elliot, by the way..."

Elliot was a hulking man, taller than Christian, and when he stood up from his spot on the sofa, his entire presence seemed to fill the room.

"I'm sorry, did you just tell her that your name is Idiot?" Christian piped in. "Anastasia Steele, my big brother, Idiot Grey."

As Elliot reached out to take Ana's hand, Christian slugged him in the shoulder. "Paws off. She's mine."

"Nice to meet you - um, Elliot..." Ana said. Now was clearly not the time to bite her lip.

"Pleasure's mine, Anastasia," Elliot said, grinning at Christian. "Dude, you didn't tell me you were bringing a date..."

"Oh, come on, Elliot, I know mom told you all about Ana."

"She told me that you were very extremely interested in someone - like very extremely - but she didn't say that you were inviting her to the big par-tay tomorrow..."

Christian turned to Ana, but nodded toward his brother. "You can take the boy out of the frat house, but you can't ever remove the frat house from the boy," he explained. "El, don't you have anything better to do, like surfing or something?"

"Nah, I'm just chilling out here - maybe even take a nap - and then heading up to Mumsy and Daddy's so that they can feed me."

"Noooo," Christian shook his head. "_**We're**_staying _**here**_for the weekend..."

Head whipping back and forth, to and fro, Ana felt like she was watching a tennis match trying to keep up with the Grey brothers. However, she wasn't sure how much longer she could hold it before she peed herself from trying not to double over in a fit of giggles.

"I was _here_ first, Christian Slater Grey," Elliot said. "I was also _born_ first. And _adopted_ first. And I'm the one who gutted this whole property and made it all nice and pretty and eco-friendly. Clearly, I get dibs."

"There are nine bedrooms in that big house on the hill - that I paid for and that I covered the costs of renovating," Christian countered. "Go pick one. Now."

"What if I need to entertain some lady friends this weekend? How well do you think _that's_ going to go over with Mumsy and Daddy?"

"Do you really have to be so crude in front of Ana here?" Christian spat.

"She's dating _you_, lil bro," Elliot quipped. "How much cruder can it get?"

"OK - name your price," Christian said at last. "Use of my helicopter for a week?"

"You're on the Forbes list of gazillionaires and that's _**all**_you have to offer your big, older protective brother who loves you almost as much as he loves beer?" Elliot asked. "Not even the company jet?"

With an almost violent shrug of his shoulders, Christian shoved his hands in his pockets, feeling defeat ready to drop, and muttered, "Company jet. For a week..."

Elliott nodded thoughtfully, smiling playfully all the while. "I think I'll have to consider that..."

His last shred of patience unraveling, Christian rolled his eyes. "OK. The corporate jet..._and_ my boat for a week - but you pay for anything you break or damage."

"I shall weigh this offer and give you my answer after dinner."

"Alright, Elliot, final offer," Christian said, his exasperation ready to burst. "The helicopter for one week, and we get some privacy until after dinner when you make your decision."

"Plus the plane and the boat - each for a week?"

"_**If**_you let us stay here for the weekend...you can have the whole package..."

"I might be seeing some sweet trips all courtesy of Grey Enterprise Holdings in my near future..."

"Get the hell out?" Christian asked. For once, it wasn't a command. In fact, he was begging. "_**Please**_?"

Again, Ana almost lost it - Christian so rarely used the word please.

Kicking his feet into his sandals, Elliot reached out to take Ana's hand once more. "Lovely, again, to meet you, Ana," he said, doling out the charm. "You have a sister?"

Ana was certain that both Grey brothers could feel the heat rising from her rosy cheeks. "Sorry, Elliot - I'm an only child."

"Damn shame, Ana," he said, his feet dragging along the wooden floorboards of the porch. "Damn shame..."

"Are you hitting on her?" Christian accused.

"Sorta, bro," Elliot readily admitted.

"Don't the let door hit you in the a**," Christian said, pushing past his brother as he made his way to the trunk of the car to retrieve their luggage. "And don't forget..._your beer_..."

However, Christian's reminder fell upon Elliot's deaf ears as Elliot continued on up the hill.

"Let me help," Ana said, taking her bag from Christian's hands while he dealt with his tux and her dress.

"So, you finally got to meet that brother of mine," Christian said, heading back up the porch steps. "I hope he didn't frighten you away from the Greys forever. He can be quite a pig sometimes..."

"I actually thought it was quite amusing to see the two of you together," Ana admitted. "He's quite a character..."

"Well, baby, now you see how I honed my negotiation skills," Christian teased and hung their formal wear on the coat rack just inside the door. "Imagine what hoops I had to jump through just to get to play a few games of Nintendo as a kid..."

"Guess I missed out on a lot - without siblings," Ana reminisced.

"He's crazy, but I mostly love him," Christian admitted, then sliced his hand through the smoky air. "Damn cigar. Oh, it stinks in here. Where does my mother keep those candles?"

"Crack a window, Grey," Ana suggested. "The smell will go away.

Christian stopped his search in the cabinet beneath the television, cocked his head, and raised an eyebrow at Ana. She realized in a nanosecond that he was clearly ready to play.

"How about...I crack _you_ instead?"

He crossed the room in two strides, eliminating the short distance between them. Jovially, he lifted Ana into the air, and hoisted her over his shoulder, while she giggled all the while, then smacked the palm of his hand over her behind.

"Christian Slater Grey..." Ana whispered breathlessly, feeling the sting burning on her backside. He could pack a punch when he wanted to. "Oh, what you do to me..."

"Oh, I've been waiting too long to do that," he said, his hand smoothing over the spot he just whacked. "And don't you even tell me you have to come, Miss Steele."

"Why is that always _my_ fault?" Ana wondered out loud, as she squirmed against him while he carried her back through the foyer, taking a minor detour to lock the front door. "You're the one who's always teasing me! _I_ react to _you_!"

"Five more for that, Miss Steele," he said. "It's about control - mine...and yours. And you're having a rough time with that lesson..."

Onward he moved with Ana's tiny frame over his shoulder through a short hallway that led to the kitchen.

"I am _not_ eating! Your mother's serving dinner in a couple of hours..."

"Who said _anything_ about eating, Miss Steele?" Christian retorted.

_Uh-oh_, Ana thought as her mind raced back to the afternoon when he tethered her to the barstool and tortured her relentlessly into ecstasy. Perhaps she was in trouble...big...wonderful...delicious trouble.

_Plunk._ Through her thin cotton blouse and the lace of her bra, Ana felt the chill of the cold, marble island countertop against her belly. She pressed her fingers into the smooth surface with nothing to which to cling but her own sweaty palms.

Yes, they were indeed playing again.

With careless fingers, he swept at the zipper on the back of her skit and pulled it down over her hips, her thighs, calves and ankles, leaving her black laced pantied bottom wiggling in the air.

"I have been so patient with you, Anastasia - so incredibly removed from so many damn things that I wanted to take control of..." he hissed against her ear, nudging her from behind with his arousal.

Ana slithered again against the counter, and his hand crashed down upon her backside once more.

"Still yourself," he ordered. "I've been so easy on you..."

"Yes..." Ana squeaked. "You have, Kind Sir..."

"Well, Miss Steele, tonight I'm punishing you for everything I've ignored for the last couple of weeks," he said and stepped away. "You're still misbehaving, and I won't tolerate that in your submission to me..."

"Sir...?" she whimpered.

"You're in some trouble here, baby..." he said. "First thing I find in the drawer, you're getting spanked with it..."

The slightest bit of fear over the unknown crept into Ana's thoughts. Kitchen drawers. Utensils. Spatulas. _Knives_...?

Slam and shut...he'd chosen his weapon.

Christian took the time to take one last lingering glance at Ana's lace covered derriere, then quickly divested her of the panties. So smooth were those pampered hands against her bottom, rolling and kneading and rubbing. They hadn't played like this in six days, and Ana was so very ready for her next lesson. She could only hope that whatever weapon he'd chosen wouldn't hurt...too much.

"I'm going to push your boundaries tonight, Miss Steele," Christian warned. "Do you hear me?"

"Yes," she gulped, her throat pressing against the chilly countertop, "...Sir..."

"You already know you're getting spanked for biting your lip," he began. "You know how much that drives me insane with desire, and yet you choose to do it whenever and wherever we are. You just don't care, do you, baby?"

"Yes, I do..." she whimpered, as his hands gripped her bottom, squeezing hard and pinching, nails digging in. "I do, Sir..."

"And maybe you think I've forgotten," Christian continued, "but do you remember when you tried to dodge Sawyer? On your first day of work?"

"Oh, Sir..."

"That's another five..." he said. "Ten so far, Miss Steele. Let's move on to fifteen - with the little lie you told to your boss the other day...the lie that I had to fix."

"I lied so that I could have my dress fitted for this weekend, Sir," Ana attempted to remind him.

"You couldn't come up with another way to leave on time that night?" he asked, brushing his lips over her behind, "You just don't tell lies - no matter how small - at work." He purposely cleared his throat. "That's what I'm trying to..._impress_ upon you right now..."

"But-"

His fingers touched over mouth. "I don't think you really want to argue with me right now, baby," he muttered. "Do you?"

"No," Ana spat, testy with her own needs, "Sir..."

"That's right, Ana," his voice caressed. "You don't want to argue..."

Again, he stepped away, and then there was silence.

"Trust and need and patience are your downfalls in this relationship, Miss Steele," he whispered. "Like tonight - you tried to fight me..."

"No, Sir," she chirped. "I thought we were playing a game..."

"Was that _it_, Anastasia?" he questioned. "Is this all just a _game_?"

"No..." she whispered. "No, Sir...I..."

_I want you...I need you...I care about you...I relish your control...I..._

_I..._

However, Ana couldn't speak her thoughts. Not yet.

"You what, baby?" he pressed.

"I.." _I think I love you, Christian Grey... _"I'm not playing a game...Sir..."

Ana could hear him pacing...walking around the counter. Then, he gently lifted her chin to face those eyes of steel. Christian held up a wooden spoon in front of her.

"This is what I'm going to spank you with, Anastasia," he said. "Twenty times."

"Of course, Sir..." _A spoon,_ Ana thought. _That's easy enough_.

"Do I need to remind you that you have safewords?" he asked.

"I know them, Sir..."

Around the counter he walked again, returning to unzip her skirt, pull away her panties. "Anastasia..." his voice warned, foreboding. "_You_ are in control...understand?"

"Yes, Sir," she murmured. "Safewords..."

"This isn't like my hand, baby," he explained, fingers kneading over her bare bottom. "The sting is strong..."

"I...I understand, Sir..."

"And you understand why I'm punishing you?"

Crushing her legs together in almost a scissor kick, Ana writhed before him on the counter as his hands continued to massage. "Oh, yes, Sir..."

_Thwack_!

The raw wood against her skin chapped, and she wrapped her fingers around the edge of the marble countertop, just as his fingers stroked over the sting.

_Thwack_! Oh, those hands...

_Thwack_! Close...closer...hold it in, Ana...

_Thwack_!

"_**RED**_!"

The spoon fell from Christian's hand, crashing to the cold tiles on the floor with a clank, and he staggered two steps back from Ana, staring at the small abrasion on her bottom.

"We're done..._done_..." he gasped, guardedly making his way back to Ana, as she trembled on the kitchen counter. "Baby...?"

Slowly, she opened her eyes. Yes, Christian was there, calming...pulling her into his arms. Lips numb, she couldn't speak - couldn't convey her own emotions. Ana wasn't even certain what happened. It felt so painfully wonderful...but then something just went wrong.

Ana readily fell into Christian's embrace. There was no reason to cry. She wasn't even sure if she was hurt. Yet the emotions grappled her, pinning her into immobility and silence.

"Oh, my sweet, sweet baby..." His lips and hands raced through her hair, over her shoulders, down her back. "I am so sorry..."

Inadvertently, he spanked her twice in the same spot, drawing the tiniest trickle of blood.

Fingers locked on the strength of his upper arms - so careful not to touch his shoulders - Ana whispered, "It's...alright..."

But Christian shook his head. "No, baby," he murmured, framing her face with his hands, "it's not."

"I was fine..." she murmured, "and then it just...it was too much."

"Shhh..." his lips whispered against her hair as he pulled her into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist. He simply had to get her out of that kitchen - back to the living room. She needed comfort. She needed security. She needed to know that she was safe.

With the utmost delicacy, he eased her down to the sofa, laying her flat on her tummy, then bent down on his knees next to her. "Baby, you have a little cut back there. It's bleeding. And I'm so sorry."

"_Bleeding_?" she turned her head to face him, still confused.

"Just a little drop," he answered. "I hit you twice in the same spot...didn't mean to...my mistake...just a little too hard..."

"I'm so sorry, Christian..."

"No, Ana," he said. "Don't you _ever_ apologize for safewording me. Ever. That's why we need them, baby..."

"I don't even know why I-"

"You don't need to explain," he assured her. "This is how it works. These things will happen. It's OK..."

"But..." Ana began, "does that mean you'll never - we'll never play again?"

"No, baby, we're just stopping this little scene right now," he soothed, kissing her. "I'm not nearly done playing with you..."

"It wasn't even that bad - I just..."

"Doesn't matter," he assured, as he moved to stand.

Ana could hear him fussing with his bag in the foyer, pulling things out, repacking. When he returned to her on the couch, he kneeled again and placed one tiny kiss on her backside. From the small bag he carried with him, he pulled out cotton balls and peroxide and went to work, making sure to check her closely for any other cuts or splinters from the spoon.

"You in any pain, baby?" he asked.

Ana shook her head and smiled at him. "None," she said, "but you're certainly quite adept at first aid..."

"Guess I spent a lot of time watching Mom when I was growing up," he said, dabbing some sort of antiseptic gel over what Ana assumed to be her wound. "We're almost finished - just one more thing, but you're not going to be able to move for a bit..."

Opening one eye, Ana spotted the tube in his hand as he popped the cap and began to giggle yet again.

Only the Great Christian Grey would think to bring diaper cream with him on a weekend trip out of the city...


	37. Chapter 37

_**Chapter Thirty-Seven **_  
The party planners had already been working diligently for most of the day, setting up the backyard for Grace's annual gala as Christian and Ana headed to the house for dinner. There seemed to Ana to be hundreds of people scurrying about, rushing in and out of the giant white tent, transporting decor, lighting, tables and chairs. In fact, there was so much noise, she could barely hear Christian who was walking ever so close to her.

"You sure you're alright, baby?"

Ana drew in a sharp breath, making a careful attempt to choose her words. "Christian, it's all good," she assured, knowing that this wouldn't be the end of the conversation. He'd been so devastated over the spanking gone awry earlier that evening, creating a catastrophe in his mind alone, and he couldn't manage to shake his own guilt.

Strolling along in her favorite black and white polka dotted dress and red shoes, Ana gave Christian's hand a little tug. "Did you get this upset over the concussion?" she wondered out loud, thinking of the time he'd told her about the only true injury he'd caused in his quest for Domination.

"In truth...no," he looked away, unable to face Ana, "But _she_ wasn't _you_..."

"Honestly, I feel nothing," Ana said. "So no need to hustle me away from the table in the middle of dinner to check on my boo-boo - _hint-hint_."

"Has it really only been three weeks?" he mused. "You know me so well, Anastasia..."

The lights from the dining room illuminated the patio, where Elliot lounged in his beach gear and sipped on a martini, as they neared the house. Just as they'd reached the top step, he closed his lips around a tiny skewer of olives.

Ana knew she was in for round two with the Grey brothers.

"You know, you two are completely holding up dinner tonight," Elliot said.

"OK, seriously, I know that mom taught us all not to talk with food in our mouths," Christian was quick to point out.

Elliot stood up and tossed his hands in the air. "I know...it's all different now that you have little Babycakes here," Elliot said, then continued to taunt in the most child-like fashion, "Christian has a girlfriend! Christian has a girlfriend!"

Even Ana could see him trying to suppress a laugh as Elliot continued to his ribbing.

"And what the hell is with this get-up?" Elliot quipped, pulling at the lapel of Christian's navy blazer. "Party isn't until tomorrow night, lil bro..."

"This is what we civilized people in the city refer to as 'business casual,' big bro," Christian retorted. "Sometimes it's nice to dress up a little for dinner."

"Bro, don't you pull that city-tude with me, just because I happen to enjoy living life at the beach..." In truth, Elliot worked just as hard as he played. His construction company had built its reputation on environmentally friendly engineering and was wildly lucrative throughout the Hamptons. In fact, in spite of all his clowning and kidding, he was quite accomplished and was actually well known as an expert in his field.

"Is Christian here?" a voice suddenly called out from nowhere.

Ana's eyes darted to see a head poking out around the open French doors.

"Did he bring Ana?"

A tall, slender young woman - probably Ana's same age - scooted outside and rushed to the embrace of her big brother.

Mia Grey looked every bit of Christian's depiction of his baby sister - from her bob of raven hair down to the expensive designer clothes she wore. That evening, she'd chosen a simple pair of skinny jeans with a flowing pale pink silk blouse, and Ana was relatively certain that once she'd crossed her legs, she'd see the red soles of her Louboutin stilettos. Mia was studying fashion at The Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and taking her sweet time in her pursuit of her degree. At twenty-two, she still had a few credits remaining before she could graduate.

"I missed you!" Mia squealed and leaned in for a second hug from Christian before she turned to Ana with open arms. "And you must be Ana! Oh, I'm so excited to finally meet you! I'm Mia..."

"Think she probably figured that out, sis," Elliot said.

"There's a clear reason why _I'm_ her _favorite brother_," Christian added, raising his eyes to Elliot.

"So are you excited about the party tomorrow?" Mia Grey, easily, spoke ten miles a minute. "And you have to tell me all about your dress! Oh, I can't wait to see it! You know, I designed mine myself..."

"Well," Ana smiled at Christian, "I sort of promised your big bro here that I'd surprise him tomorrow. Maybe we can get rid of him for ten minutes for a quick look in the morning, though?"

"Um, no," Christian said. "Mia is terrible at keeping secrets..."

"Well, listen, Mom said dinner's almost done, so we should probably head in," Mia suggested.

"_Almost_ done? Thought we were holding everyone up tonight, Elliot?"

"Just holding up his time to spend at the bar," Mia added.

"Come, baby," Christian reached for Ana's hand again. "Let's leave them to their nonsense and go see my parents..."

"Darling, Ana...it's so fantastic to see you," Grace pecked a kiss on each cheek as she accepted the bottle of wine from Ana's hands. "You didn't have to do this."

While Christian insisted that they'd just choose a bottle from his own collection, Ana won the battle and did her due diligence in her research. Wine was something she knew nothing about. However, she'd spent quite a bit of money in her selection from the Coppola vineyards that a colleague had recommended to her, and he commended her on her pick.

Towering behind Grace stood Carrick Grey, and - while dressed ever so casually in a button down, open at the neck, and a pair of khakis - looked every part the patriarch of the family. With snow white hair, he was quite a handsome man, but his poise was so very commanding. In fact, he frightened Ana just a little bit, and she hoped she wasn't trembling as he reached out to shake her hand.

"Ana, lovely to meet you," Carrick said.

"You, too, Mr. Grey..."

"Come on, dear, I told you - none of that Mr. and Mrs. stuff," Grace was quick to intrude. "Grace and Carrick will do just fine...now, excuse me for a moment, but I have to check with the kitchen..."

"So, I hear you're working for that old goat, Elena," Carrick said. "But obviously, you've lived to tell about it since you're here..."

"Well, she's quite..."

"She's an odious evil monster and should probably be taken down by firing squad," Christian completely interrupted.

"That's a little harsh, son," Carrick said with a sideward glance toward Christian.

"Dad, she threw the flowers I sent to Ana away and made her take them out with the garbage," Christian spat.

"And you let old Mrs. Lincoln live?" Carrick teased, with a gentle punch to Christian's arm. "Christian, this young lady is making you soft here..."

"Only because I didn't know until a week later because _someone_ was afraid to tell me..."

"You did the right thing, Ana," Carrick patted her on the back. "I wouldn't have told this hothead either..."

Maybe Carrick wasn't quite so threatening after all, Ana thought and flashed him a knowing smile.

"But now, I'm making an executive decision for the family here," Carrick began. "Go get that drunken brother and silly sister of yours. It's after nine. I think it's well past dinner time..."

Carrick was quick to take his spot at the head of the table with Grace and Elliot to his right and Christian, Ana and Mia on his left. For some reason, Ana was surprised that the kitchen staff actually served the meal - from the wine to the coffee - and for the Greys, the pomp and circumstance all just seemed like a regular family dinner.

While the brotherly bantering continued across the table between Christian and Elliot, Ana had been lured into a private little conversation of her own with Mia, who seemed quite taken with all aspects of her brother's new girlfriend's life. She found it so fascinating that Ana just picked up and left her small town life for New York, and found it so thrilling that Ana shared an apartment with Kate - alone, just the two of them. For the moment, Mia had no intentions of moving out of Grace and Carrick's main residence, their Park Avenue penthouse in the city, but she couldn't help but revel in the thoughts of eventually living on her own.

Around the time dessert arrived, Ana could sense Christian's impatience. He wanted to leave. Pulling her away from Mia, however, was likely going to be a chore for him.

"So, let's meet up at MOMA one afternoon - maybe a Sunday?" Mia suggested. "It's fantastic..."

"The Brooklyn Museum is just as amazing," Grace added, "without the crowds at MOMA. And the gardens are just breathtaking - any time of the year, really. We could do a girls day out!"

The conversation continued on, with Christian fidgeting in his seat through every last second. While Ana would never admit it to him, she actually found his impatience so very entertaining.

Elliot, too, had some fun with Christian, making him wait until the very last moment before announcing that he'd accept Christian's package in return for the use of the guest house for the weekend. Not that Christian would have ever acquiesced to losing their little weekend love nest. He would have found some way to circumvent Elliot's little schemes.

At last when he'd managed to say their good-byes for the evening, there were hugs and kisses all around. "Darling, we can't wait to meet your mother next week," Grace said. "Should be a fun day for us all..."

Ana wasn't so sure about that, but she smiled graciously and changed the subject by thanking Dr. Grey yet again for a fabulous evening.

Once outside, as they traipsed down the hill, Ana knew that Fifty Shades of Playful had indeed emerged again.

"Psst..." he whispered, pulling her close. "Let's ditch Sawyer and Taylor and make a run for the beach."

"What?" Ana stopped right in her tracks, astonished by his sudden move toward carelessness. "Are you kidding? Christian Grey wandering off without his security team?"

"No death threats this week, so we should be good." Ana's giggle prompted him to explain, "Oh, I wasn't joking, baby..."

"Christian!" That thought filled her with terror.

"Last one there gets buried in the sand" he called as he tore off down the hillside.

"No fair! I don't know the way!" Ana screamed, following in fast pursuit, glad that his pants were lightly colored and she could see him in the darkness in the lead.

Christian won - of course, he won - and was already kicking off his shoes, taking off his jacket and rolling up his pant legs by the time Ana carefully made her way down the wooden staircase to the sand where she breathlessly collapsed on her back, laughing all the while.

Tossing her hands above her head, Ana said, "I surrender, Kind Sir..."

Through the sand, Christian crawled toward her, his hands caressing her ankles, calves and thighs has he moved higher, parting her legs as he edged along.

"Aren't you gonna bury me?" she wondered out loud.

"How about I bury myself _inside you_ instead?" he suggested, his eyes teasing and testing as he hovered above her.

"Right here?" she asked. "On the beach?"

"Mmmhmmm..." he murmured, his tongue tickling in the tiniest of circles over her neck. "It's well after midnight. Almost high tide. No one's here..." He kissed her lips. "...but us..."

"What if we get swept away?" she murmured, breath ragged from both their jog and the effect he was having on her senses.

"I have every intention to do just that, baby..." he returned, kissing Ana and grinding against her as the tide lapped against them. All the while, Christian remained acutely aware of Ana's fingers...creeping ever so tentatively up his thighs and inching inward.

Maybe it was the moonlight - perhaps the salty ocean breeze - or just the idea of being away with him for the weekend in such an idyllic setting, but Ana was feeling rather bold that evening. Scratching her nails ever so gently against the linen of his inner-thigh, she watched, anticipating his reaction.

His lips parted, but he was smiling. "What are you planning to do next, baby?"

"I dunno, Sir..."

"We're not playing right now, so you have permission to do whatever pleases you," he whispered and nudged ever so closely to her tiny hand, "or whatever pleases me..."

For a dizzying moment, Ana almost felt as if she were sinking in quicksand as he swiveled his hips, boldly encouraging her curiosity. She didn't need to touch him to know that he was ready for anything at that point, and as her fingers carefully wrapped around him, over his linen trousers, he pressed even closer into the palm of her hand. She licked her lips once - twice - and tightened her grip.

"Don't tempt me with promises that - even if they're unspoken - you can't keep, baby..." he warned, pushing that proverbial envelope once again.

Accepting his dare, Ana dragged her fingers up the zipper, scraping her nails against the track, then paused for a moment to look at him again as she slipped her fingers between his leather belt and the button on his pants.

"Oh, I'm sorry, baby," he kissed her head and pulled his hips back just slightly. "You need some room to work there, don't you? Would it help if I sat up?"

She nodded, and allowed him to ease her up, position her between his legs. However, she awaited no further direction from Christian, and rushed her hands back to his waist, unbuckling the expensive Italian leather belt, and snapping open the button.

Minding his smile with a determined one of her own, Ana locked her gaze with those grey eyes that were clouded with a passion she'd never seen in his reflection before.

Taking her dear, sweet time, she dragged his zipper pull down so very casually, listening to the heavy hiss of his intake of a single breath, which he held until she finally managed to release him from both his pants and boxer briefs. Lovingly, she took him in her hands and cuddled her cheek against the strength of his desire. Then just as easily, she teased him with just the tender tip of her tongue then closed her mouth around him.

Cradling her head, Christian groaned, deep and rasping, as he guided her with his hands. His thrusts were gentle, simply pulsing against her lips, encouraging her to take just a little bit more with each movement of his hips. So willingly, Ana accepted him, her lips craving more with every push.

"Oh, Ana...you've no clue how close I am..."

As the tides continued to roll in, the surf soaking them both, Ana felt the ripples of her own orgasm rising, flooding every nerve ending in her body, as she continued her intimate manipulation of him. He didn't even have to touch her. The total indulgence of her own gratification while she, in turn, pleased him, consumed her thoroughly.

As the last tremors of Ana's climax began to subside, he carefully eased himself back, slowly pulling away from her hungry mouth, while his hands still held her, bracing her bottom for support.

"Christian, no...please..._please?"_ Her hands reached out for him once more.

"In my lap, baby...now..."

He dug into his pocket to retrieve the condom, and for one split second, Ana couldn't help but wonder if he had the diaper cream in there, too, such a Boy Scout was he when it came to all matters of their sexual shenanigans.

"Let me finish..." Ana begged.

"I want you on top..." he patted his legs, urging her closer. "I need you this way, baby - _right now_...before I come..."

One hand on her hip, holding her steady, he pulled her panties aside with the other, thankful for the full skirt on her dress that covered them and wondering if he could hold on just long enough to please her again. In one easy movement, he was inside of her, rocking her, seemingly in time to the roll of the fierce ocean waves before them, and she wove her fingers into his copper hair and held on to him for dear life.

While she was certain that this was probably their most frantic love making yet, Ana, nonetheless, fought for her own control, waiting for his release before she dared to let go again. In the darkness of night, against the roll of the waters, Ana cried out to him, embracing him as close as she could get to him right there in the sand.

Nuzzling his nose and mouth against her neck, he stilled. "You've been holding out on me in the oral skills department..." he teased. "I almost didn't make it..."

Consumed by her own chagrin, she giggled. "Oh, stop! I didn't even know what I was doing..."

"Oh, Anastasia," he groaned against her ear, "I beg to differ with you on that point."

Gently, he eased down, resting his back against the wet sand, and held her closely against his chest. He didn't flinch - didn't cringe away from her. Sated, she couldn't help but smile over this progression. Perhaps he was beginning to trust her.

The tide foamed, spreading further with each sweep over the beach. They were both getting drenched, but Ana simply didn't want to move.

"Thank you," she whispered, "for such a beautiful weekend."

Christian couldn't resist a quick kiss as he murmured back, "It wouldn't be beautiful at all if you weren't here with me..."

"You make me smile, Mr. Grey..."

"Yeah, baby, I've found myself doing that a lot the last few weeks, too," he admitted. "And I think it's fair to say that you're a hit with the entire family. You've got Mia wrapped around your little finger. My father even warmed to you - which is a rare event with someone he doesn't know."

"I enjoyed spending time with them tonight," she said. "Oh, could just stay on this beach forever..."

"The tides are going to kick us out in about ten minutes..."

"Can we at least stay until they do?" Ana asked, blue eyes sparkling in the moonlight.

"Whatever you want, baby..." Christian kissed her head again. "Whatever you want..."


	38. Chapter 38

_**Chapter Thirty-Eight**_  
It was the most perfect weekend so far in the life of Anastasia Rose Steele.

Ana indulged most in life's tiniest pleasures that warm Saturday morning. For once, Christian hadn't risen at the crack of dawn to check his messages and gain a head-start on the day. Ana could have sat beside him and watched him sleep all morning, so rare and peaceful was his slumber. When at last he stirred, he made leisurely love to her as the sunlight streamed through the curtains they'd forgotten to close the night before.

With their greatest pressures left behind them in Manhattan, Ana and Christian simply enjoyed their leisurely morning together, sitting on the porch at the guest house and sipping their coffee together - chatting, touching, teasing. Ana cherished every last second of their time alone, enjoying the almost boyish side of Christian that he never revealed to the world. He'd even picked her flowers from his mother's prized rose garden and said he'd just blame it on Elliot later.

In fact, not even a brief visit from Elliot himself could dampen their spirits that morning. Dressed in nothing but his swim shorts and a baseball cap pulled exaggeratingly low over his eyes, he bore the signs of wear and tear from his evening out, which wasn't lost on his younger brother. Squabbling ensued, and once again, Ana found herself collapsed in a fit of her own laughter as the Grey brothers entertained her with their raucous banter.

Champagne brunch on the back terrace was just as lovely, and Ana quite enjoyed their time alone with just Carrick and Grace while Elliot and Mia both played at the beach.

Conversation between father and son focused on the upcoming holiday and their sailing adventures on The Grace, which Christian docked at the Manhattan Yacht Club on the Hudson River in the city. Ana kept Grace busy talking about the night's event, enchanted with all the last-minute details that went into the preparation of her grand gala. In truth, young Miss Steele couldn't ever imagine throwing a party of such proportions.

As morning merged into afternoon, they strolled along the property and through the vast English gardens that Grace herself had helped to design, in no apparent hurry to do anything than simply revel in each other's company and their time alone. Christian even had to laugh at himself when he'd suddenly realized that he'd left his phone at the cottage that morning. For the first time in a very long time, business could just wait.

When at last they returned with some reluctance to the cottage, Ana decided that she needed just a quick nap before making an attempt at getting ready. She wasn't tired so much from exhaustion, but just by the sated laziness of the entire day.

As she dropped her head to Christian's lap and closed her eyes while they snuggled on the couch, she hoped this was just one glorious day of many they'd share together.

Yes, Anastasia Steele was falling...falling absolutely, passionately in love with Christian Grey.

"Excuse me, Kind Sir," Ana's shy voice echoed softly as she poked just her head out of the bedroom door." "Would you please help a girl out with her dress?"

Christian had been fussing with his bowtie in the antique mirror in the hallway and straightening his cufflinks when she called. The sweetness of her expression resounded against his ears, as he drew in a deep breath, anticipating this moment he'd been longing for all afternoon. At last his baby was ready for the ball...

On the other side of the door, Ana had been in panic mode, carefully applying her make-up and struggling to make sure that every last hair was in place and carefully pinned. Christian had offered to find her someone to do her hair and make-up to alleviate some of her stress, but Ana insisted on handling every last brush stroke herself.

When Christian finally opened the door, he stopped - dead in his tracks, as if trapped within the frame. His lips parted, his eyes softened and he swallowed the lump that had suddenly crept into his throat.

Arms wrapped around her chest to hold the bodice in place while she waited for his assistance, Ana couldn't help but to do a bit of staring on her own. He looked so stunningly handsome in his simple black tux and tie, his hair - for once - in perfect place, she mused to herself.

However, his gaze upon her left her slightly trembling in its wake. She'd wound her shiny locks into a French twist with tiny chestnut ringlets playing so delicately around her face. The navy blue satin of the gown clung so perfectly to every last curve of her body that he knew so well.

Yet self-doubts began to surface. So typically Ana, she fretted, wondering against his scrutiny if she looked appropriate - if she could actually play the role of date to Christian Grey that evening, if she truly measured up to the standards required of being there at his side and on his arm.

By the time he smiled at long last, his silence had nearly killed her. "Say _something_..."

"Baby..._oh, my baby_..." His stride was slow, closing the distance between them. "What the hell does a man say to the most beautiful woman in the world?"

"You like it?" she asked as his lips claimed hers almost chastely.

"I _love_ it, baby..." he whispered, as Ana's fingers were quick to wipe the lipstick from his mouth. "Absolute perfection...I don't even think I'm going to make it through the cocktail hour."

"You can peal this dress away from me later, Mr. Grey," she teased and turned for him to attend to the zipper. "But enjoy me in it for a little while, will you?"

"I am, Anastasia," he said quickly. "A little too much, I think..."

"And I think I'm missing something here," she nodded toward the velvet jewelry box on the dresser. "Would you help me with that, too, Kind Sir?"

"It would be my honor, Miss Steele..."

His lips followed as he held the diamond and sapphire choker to her neck and fastened the clasp. Again, he took a step back just to take in the sight of her.

"OK, baby, I think I told you a little lie..."

"What's that?" she giggled.

"You just got a little more perfect here..." he said and wrapped her in his arms. He didn't kiss her again - just held her. And that was all Ana needed. "How about we have a little drink before we head up to the party? Taylor's going to drive us. I don't expect you to climb the hill in that dress and shoes..."

_Sigh_, Ana thought. Christian never - ever - missed a detail, down to the champagne already chilled in the ice bucket on the coffee table.

He corked and poured, then handed a flute to Ana.

"Wait - let's do this..." she said as she linked her arm through his, then wrapped it back around to drink from her glass. "I've always wanted to do that!"

"My silly, gorgeous baby..." he smirked then sipped. "So are you ready for all of this tonight, Ana? You know you're going to be the focus of everyone's attention..."

"Honestly, not really," she admitted, "but it does come with the territory - and for you, I shall give my due diligence, Mr. Grey..."

"I'm quite sure you'll handle it all with poise and elegance, Miss Steele," he assured her, and took her hand, his thumb stroking over her knuckles. "I wish you had the confidence in yourself that I have in you, baby."

"Have I told you yet today just how wonderful you are?" she asked.

"Yeah, in the gardens this afternoon...in bed this morning...and I believe on the beach just before we nearly got washed away..." he smiled. "But you can always tell me again. You know I have a huge ego..."

"Thank you again for everything, Christian," Ana said. "You've made everything perfect this weekend..."

"I'll argue you on that one - but later..." He set his glass down, then took Ana's from her hand. "Right now, we have a party to attend..." He bowed. "After you, Miss Steele..."

And to him, she turned, her train swooping as she moved, then curtseyed. "Why, thank you, Kind Sir..."

# # #

As they made their very slow entrance to the party, Ana realized that she'd never been to such a huge event in her life. There were simply hundreds of people. Everywhere. Guests. Attendants. Cocktail servers. All swarming around in circles.

And nearly every person they passed wanted to chat with Christian Grey.

Never letting go of Ana's hand, he introduced her to far too many people that she'd never remember if she ran into them on the street - his mother's friends, father's colleagues, a few people he'd gone to prep school with. Always polite, but quick and clever, he had such a practiced manner in dealing with so many people who demanded his attention, seemingly all at once. All the while, Ana simply stood by his side, dutifully smiling and nodding politely.

A band somewhere far off in the distance. Eventually, they'd make their way to the dance floor, but for the moment, they had to maneuver through the crowd and find his parents. Meanwhile, Ana absorbed the dazzling surroundings - the decor overflowing with flowers, lighting and candles all in white; the exquisite fashions that rivaled any red carpet she'd seen on television; the absolute excess in wealth that exuded from each and every corner. She was almost certain that if she looked hard enough, she'd find Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan somewhere in the swarm.

Even with the cacophony of music and chatter closing in around them, Ana could hear Christian's groan loud and clear. "Look out, my fine baby," Christian said, "looks like the cat just dragged in the hair of the dog!"

"Christian Slater Grey! And Babycakes!" Suddenly, Ana's hand seemed to split from Christian's as Elliot bounced between them and slung his arms around their shoulders. While she knew she probably should have slugged him for making fun of Christian's affectionate moniker for her, Ana had to admit that Elliot was just utterly hilarious. "Boy, you two cleaned up well..."

"And you look handsome yourself, Elliot," Ana said, feeling dwarfed by his size as he stood between them, so dapper in his own tux.

"Oh, you're far too polite, Ana," Christian admonished. "It's after eight, El - you mean you haven't scored yet? Slow night for you. Perhaps you should _go find someone_..."

"Why, dear brother," Elliot began, "I thought I'd find Miss Ana here and ask her for her first dance..."

"Mine," Christian said, slinging his arm around Ana's waist, reclaiming his honor. "All. Mine..."

"Oh, how I love to upset your applecart, little bro," Elliot teased. "OK - second dance?"

Christian shook his head.

"Third, Babycakes?"

"How about we work on the twelfth of never?" Christian suggested.

"How about...?" Elliot stopped suddenly, flustered for the first time since Ana had met him the day before. "OK, that was a good one. I'll get you back, dude. Payback is a gift that just keeps on giving..."

"Ana!" a familiar voice called out from behind the. "Ana! Over here!"

"Just when you think your life has sunk to an all-time low..." Christian muttered in Ana's ear as Kate Kavanagh scurried over and threw her arms around Ana for a hug that wasn't exactly reciprocated.

Before Kate even said hello, Ana felt her eyes darting from her French twist all the way down to the pool of her train, only to return to lock in on the collar, glittering in even the dimmest light, that bejeweled her neck. Kate was merely calculating the money that Christian obviously spent on the piece, never stopping to think that there might be a much greater significance to its wearer.

"You look so gorgeous! Oh, your dress is even prettier than you described!" Kate squealed finally, tugging at Ana's gown before she turned and nodded to Christian. "Grey..."

He nodded in return. "Roadkill..."

"What?" Kate bobbed her reddish blond locks about, pretending she didn't hear him. "Oh, Marcus...Marcus, come here. I want to introduce you."

A man of perhaps his late twenties, with just slightly balding brown hair and eyes, stepped up to Kate's side, and Ana was quick to catch the sudden look of amusement playing over Christian's eyes and smile.

"Marcus Callahan, this is my roommate, Anastasia Steele," Kate introduced. "Her date, Christian Grey..."

"Oh, Marcus and I know each other," Christian said, giving Ana's hand a gentle squeeze. Now, she was so damn curious to know what the hell was really going on.

"And you are...?" Kate turned to Elliot as he reached for her hand.

"Call me enchanted, Miss...?"

"Kavanagh - Kate Kavanagh," she said, returning his charm.

"Elliot...Elliott Grey," he said, shooting a sideways glance at his brother. "No relation to this guy. At. All."

"So," Kate began as she slowly took back her hand, "_my date_ and I are off to the dance floor, if you guys might like to come?"

"Later, Kate," Ana said, thankful for an excuse to cut things short with her roommate. "We have yet to find Christian's parents, so we'll be a while..."

"OK...well...we'll catch up later tonight, Ana," she squeezed her old friend's shoulder. "Right?"

"If there's time," Ana said, hoping there would be none. She was actually quite sickened by the fact that Kate had the audacity to show up. Her fascination with the Grey family left such a sour taste in Ana's mouth. She could only hope that Christian could warn Elliot away before he had the chance to make a move.

Once out of earshot, Christian turned to Ana and roared with laughter. "Nice save, baby..."

"What the hell is going on here?"

"Well, perhaps we should give her some credit," Christian noted. "She found a date and her way into the party..."

"True..."

"I just wonder if Miss Kavanagh is aware of Marcus' little...secret..."

"Secret?" Ana repeated.

"Oh, Marcus has tried to build the same reputation as my dear brother," Christian explained. "Every party it's a different girl..."

"Well, good for Kate," Ana said. "Maybe she'll get lucky tonight and be in a better mood when we get back to the city..."

"No, baby...I don't think she'll get anywhere with that guy..."

Perplexed, Ana shook her head. "What do you mean?"

"Let's just say that when one man tries to put his hand on another man's knee beneath the table, it's a sure bet that he's not sleeping with women..."

Ana literally had to cover mouth to curtail her snickering. "Are you telling me...that Marcus...um...he _hit on you_?"

"Same event...last year..." Christian laughed. "Guess he believed all those gay rumors about me. Kate's merely a beard for him..."

"So what did you do?" Ana leaned in closer to hear his answer.

"Left Elliot alone with him and ran off to dance with my mother!"

"Oh, Christian Slater Grey," she said, daring to peck her lips to his with all eyes upon them, "you have such a wicked side..."

"You love my evil twin self," he teased. "Now, come - let's hunt down the rest of my family here and then have some fun here tonight..."

Eventually, they ran into Mia, and Christian figured his mother and father couldn't be far away. His little sister had to be involved in every last second when Grace planned a party. In fact, he always referred to her as her mother's "apprentice."

Mia's self-designed ensemble was absolutely adorable - a simple black silk sheath with a polka dotted lace overlay that barely covered her thighs that Ana knew she'd never have the courage to wear herself. Sipping her Cosmo, she chattered away, admiring Ana's gown, discussing the "boys" she'd met at the beach, and her summer internship with a start-up label based in Brooklyn.

When at last the Greys finally made their way over, Grace looked tired, but so very content with the flow of events so far. She had extreme hopes for the evening, given that the hospital was nearly ready to file for bankruptcy, and wanted to surpass every fundraising goal she'd set in the past.

"Well, I think I've just found the two prettiest ladies in the room this evening," Carrick said with a peck for Mia then one for Ana. "You both look stunning."

"Ana..." Grace gasped. "Oh, look at your lovely choker! Darling, that's just beyond stunning!"

In moments like these, Ana wished there were some magic pill that she could take to erase the flush from her cheeks. She hated to blush - and she hoped that she wasn't sweating.

"Your son has exquisite tastes," Ana managed, thinking all the while, _Oh, Mother Grey, if you __**only **__knew_...

"Well, I couldn't be happier with both of his choices, Ana," Grace said, "in jewelry and in you..."

"Mom, I'm going to steal this lovely lady away for a bit," Christian said. "I want to go have some fun with the paparazzi and maybe take her for a spin on the dance floor."

"Of course, dear," Grace said, and kissed her son on the cheek. "You two should enjoy this evening..."

Just at that moment, someone, of course caught Christian's attention yet again, and he had to stop and talk for a moment. However, Carrick surprised Ana when he stepped up beside her and gave her arm a gentle squeeze.

"Thank you for coming tonight, Ana," he said. "For Christian's sake..."

"Oh, well, Carrick, I..."

"No, really, Ana," he continued, "I've never seen him so happy - so relaxed - as he's been these last two days."

"He makes me happy, too, Carrick..."

"Take care of him for us, OK? And just know we're always here for both of you..." Carrick whispered, and with that, he gave her a quick hug as Christian stepped in once again.

Ana had no idea what to say - what to even think. The Greys had been so warm and welcoming, trying almost too hard to already convince Ana that she was indeed a part of the family. Yet Carrick's words left her both touched and terrified at the same time. Throughout this entire journey with Christian, she could only hope that she wasn't setting her own self up for heartbreak. While Christian hadn't given her any inclination of doubt so far, Ana knew that all of this magic he'd brought into her life could disappear in an instant.

"Well...what's this all about?"

"Just thanking Ana for coming this weekend," Carrick said and winked at Ana. "Now, listen to your mother - go have some fun here!"

"Come on, baby," Christian said, stealing back her hand. "Time to go play with the photographers..."

Christian was on a mission, and Ana knew full well that she couldn't stop him. However, just once she wished he would stop surprising her so often and at least let her in on his own jokes before he played them.

His strides were long, only quickening as he tried to escape, leading Ana so carefully through the masses. And every time he looked behind him to check on Ana, even though he clutched her hand with all of his might, that smile was almost devilish.

"Wanna clue me in here, Mr. Grey?"

"I'm doing my duty and I'm paying a visit to the press tent," he said. "And you're coming with me..."

"Oh, sh...Christian Slater Grey..." she admonished. "We can't!"

"We can and we _are._.."

"Is this a part of my humiliation training?" she questioned as they made it outside into the fresh night air at last. "Are we playing right now?"

"Oh, I'm playing," he said, "but not with you this time, baby..."

"Mr. Grey!"

"Hey, Grey - over here...!"

The flashbulbs were going off before they'd even stepped inside. All they really needed to do was stand in front of the sponsorship wall and pose. However, Christian was ready to address some questions that evening.

"Just follow me," Christian said, and wrapped his arm around her to guide her through. "I've got this covered. And don't trip on me like you did at that last event. I don't want that to be the headline."

"Grey - look here. Look here..."

"No, to the right - over to the right..."

"Mr. Grey, is that the woman you were spotted with in the park?"

When Christian opened his mouth to speak, Ana's face froze, and she could only imagine the captions in the papers the following morning.

"Sure is," Christian answered.

"What's her name? What do you call yourself, little lady?"

"Her name is..." Christian stopped, making his pause oh so pregnant just to startle Ana a bit, then said, "Penelope...Penelope...Lynn...Merry...weather..."

"Penelope! Look here! Over here!"

Oh, no, those photos were going to be absolutely horrific, but Ana couldn't stop herself from laughing.

"Can you spell your last name, Miss Merryweather?"

"Oh, it's M-E-R-R-Y," Ana chimed in, rather hoping that Christian was about to split his gut as he struggled to maintain his own composure.

"Penelope - tell us about yourself!"

"Where do you work?

"K-mart," Ana said simply.

"I'm dying right now," Christian whispered out of the corner of his mouth. "Let's go, baby..."

"Penelope - one more! Are you two dating? Engaged? What's the story? How'd you meet?"

Away he swept her once more, this time practically running, and once they managed to find a somewhat secluded area of the property, Christian collapsed against a tree, laughing so hard that he simply couldn't catch his breath.

"Penelope?" Ana cackled moving ever closer. "_Penelope_?"

"Oh, K-mart is going to hate my guts in a couple of hours..." Christian managed at last. "And so is my publicity director. But if nothing else, I think we just sent those hounds on a wild goose chase for a few hours...Penelope darling..."

Slithering up against him as he stood against the tree, Ana reached up and nudged his face toward hers in the darkness. "That was fun," she admitted, smooching just enough to color his mouth with her mauve lipstick.

"I love it when you're silly..." he murmured.

"Back to you, Mr. Grey..."

"You make me smile." He rubbed his thumbs against her cheeks, stroking her porcelain skin so delicately. "Now, baby, back to business just for a little bit..." He offered her his arm. "I have a little surprise for my mother in store..."

Dinner was actually a brief reprieve from all of the action surrounding them that evening. Ana was nearly exhausted already - she couldn't even imagine how Grace was still standing. However, any true labor of love was certainly worth the price.

Before the meal was served, there were a few speeches - from the hospital's foundation and the administrators - all offering glowing remarks of a wonderful pediatrician who often put her own personal life aside to care for others. Their words of Grace's work stuck with Ana. She was just such a gentle soul all around, and Ana hoped that in the coming weeks she'd have the chance to get to know her better.

At one point, Christian squeezed her arm, whispering something that he'd be right back, and left her at the table with Elliot, Mia and Carrick. She really didn't pay much mind, and just guessed he had some urgent business matter to deal with. GEH didn't simply stop running because it was Saturday, so she'd come to realize.

The speaker who followed was introduced as one of Grace's colleagues and best friends, a lovely woman named Dr. Mary Greene. They'd worked together for nearly twenty years, and she detailed Grace's work in the pediatric unit, chronicling the long days and nights and her commitment to every single child that passed through the doors.

"However, Dr. Grey's commitment has gone far beyond the pediatrics unit," Dr. Greene continued. "In fact, she's been a personal advocate to save this hospital in its most needy times. She's given of herself - her time, money and efforts - to keep the doors open, never faltering in her own work for the children who needed her most."

"With that being said, we do have a surprise for her this evening - Christian...where are you?" She looked to the right of the stage and fumbled with the microphone. "So without further ado, please let me introduce Dr. Grey's son Christian, who has a special gift for his mother..."

"What's he doing?" Mia whispered to Ana.

"I have no idea..."

"He didn't tell you?"

"Nope!"

"Good evening everyone, and thank you all so much for coming tonight," Christian began. "The hospital, as many of you know, has been such a huge part of my family's life, For me, on a personal level, I spent a lot of time there as a child - first, as patient, then tagging along with my mother sometimes to work."

Ana shuddered. He'd been a patient there? Her blood ran cold, and she thought of his scars. _No, please, no_...she thought, tears welling in her eyes._ Not my Fifty_...

So overwhelmed with her own emotions, she nearly missed all of his short speech, her head flooding with images that were just too terrifying to face. She hoped that no one could see her tears in the dim lighting. Even more, she hoped she could recover before he returned to the table. Ana simply didn't want to ruin this beautiful weekend by forcing a subject he still couldn't find the strength to discuss with her.

"So with that, Mom, I am presenting you with a check that not only will allow the hospital to rebound from these financial difficulties and to stabilize over the coming months and years...but will also cover the costs of a new children's wing that will be named in your honor..."

"Oh, Ana, are you crying?" Mia reached out and tucked Ana under her arm. "Come here..."

At that moment, she saw the tears in Mia's eyes, too, and they simply sat, staring almost mind-numbingly at Christian at the podium, hugging as Christian embraced his mother on the stage.

When they both returned to the table, there was just no stopping the three woman from weeping openly, and Elliot stood up to pat his younger brother gently on the back.

"Nice work, bro. Class act."

"Thanks, El...and the new wing is your next project..." Christian said, giving his brother's hand a quick pump before turning to Ana. "Oh, baby, don't cry..."

"That was so...oh, Christian..." He'd just completely melted her heart. "That was beyond generous and thoughtful..."

"Yes, dear," Grace added, "listen to Ana - because I can barely speak right now..."

As his hands framed her face, Ana whispered, "You didn't tell me..."

"I told you that I love surprises," he smiled. "Now, please stop crying, baby. I can't handle it when you're upset."

"Yeah, Babycakes," Elliot piped in, but Ana was thankful - he always lightened the mood. "Or little bro here might have to spank you or...or...just do something really nasty and mean to you..."

Through her tears burst forth a fit of laughter, and Christian had to join her, while he nuzzled her with his nose.

"Just ignore him, Penelope," Christian said. "He'll go away..."

# # #

Naturally, Christian had to have the first dance with Ana immediately following dinner, and while she'd always felt so awkward on the dance floor, he seemed to have a way of making her feel like a ballroom star. It wasn't the first time they'd shared a spin around the floor - he'd danced with her on their very first date and proved to be quite the expert - but the wondrous spirit of that evening just seemed to heighten the intimacy as he held her so close, swaying to "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes."

Of course, one dance led to two...but just before they hit number three, Elliot was so very quick to cut in. "I made a very special request with the band just for you, Babycakes," he said to Ana, but looked into Christians world-wary eyes. "Now, Miss Anastasia," he said as the first few notes of "Twelfth of Never" began to play, "may I please have the next dance with you?"

"Elliot, Elliot, Elliot," Christian muttered and threw his hands in the air. "You're such a clever little ***hole, aren't you?"

"That I am, little bro," he said, opening his arms to Ana.

"Fine - dance with her once. _Once,_ being the operative word..."

Whisking Ana away, Elliot said, "That brother of mine is just so possessive..."

"I think _passionate_ is probably the more appropriate word," Ana suggested.

"Hey, hey, hey, I don't need to know what you two are doing in the privacy of your little cottage out there in the yard..."

"Elliot, you're funny..."

"Yeah, we tease - a lot - but I wouldn't trade him for all the money in the world," Elliot admitted. "He pisses me off sometimes, but underneath, he has an amazing heart..."

"He does," Ana agreed.

"And if it means anything to hear it from me," he went on, "he's nuts about you. Just keep him in line, Babycakes. Keep him in line..."

"I'll try my very best, Elliot..."

She'd found Christian again, just where she'd left him before taking off with his brother, and she could just sense that he'd been chomping at the bit each and every second his brother held her in his arms.

"Why don't we take a little walk?" Ana suggested. "Get some fresh air?"

"Sounds like the perfect plan to me, Miss Steele," he agreed. "Let's head out down by the pool - we should have some privacy there..."

Once outside, Ana clutched Christian's fingers with one hand and the train of her gown with the other. He held on to her tightly, always so protective, mindful of her every last step over the stone path toward the pool house.

"So I'd say my mother had quite a successful evening so far," Christian said.

"And I would wager a bet to say that we've both had a wonderful weekend," Ana said.

"Well, now, how am I ever going to top this, Miss Steele?"

"Oh, I think you'll find a way or two, Mr. Grey."

They continued on, chatting away and giggling just like any other pair of young lovers on a warm summer night, unaware of the shadowy presence in the darkness.

"Why it's Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey..."

Ana faltered, her heel catching on the cobblestones, and she reached out, squeezing Christian's arm for strength - for assurance. A chill pervaded her, deep into the marrow of her bones. She'd recognize that voice anywhere.

"Elena..." Christian barely breathed. "What the hell are you doing here?"


	39. Chapter 39

_**Chapter Thirty-Nine**_  
"You never brought the others Christian." Elena stood from the tiny table, swaggering with her glass of red wine in hand. "Why this one?"

The sounds of Christian's ragged breaths echoed against the stillness of that summer evening. Beside Ana, he froze, stiffened like a statue - paralyzed by the demons lurking behind the ire in his eyes. For once, his reaction was so atypically Christian. He didn't lash out, attacking her with every last ounce of energy in his body. In fact, he almost seemed to slink back, shrinking away, crawling into some bleak little corner where he could just hide away.

And his reaction left Ana nothing short of terrified. It was as if every bit of confidence he exuded so freely had dissipated. She'd never witnessed such pain in his eyes, such fear on his face. If Ana could read his thoughts, she was certain that he'd convinced himself that his entire empire was about to collapse around him.

"What is she talking about, Christian?" Ana finally sputtered. "What does she know?"

"What do I know?" Elena returned. "Oh, quite a bit, Anastasia. Perhaps even more than _you_."

"Who the hell invited you?" Christian spoke at last. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Your mother, darling," Elena answered. "She'd sent the invitations long before this little urchin strolled into my office for an interview. It was just a happy little coincidence when you decided to make her Number Sixteen..."

Taking one single step forward, Christian pointed a strong finger in Elena's face. "I am sick and tired of you taking your anger out on Ana here."

Now, his voice had shifted once again, transcending to the cool, steady controlling billionaire who always got his way. "You're only pissed off because you know damn well she's _not_ Number Sixteen. She means so much more to me than any woman - _any woman_ - ever in my life. And so help me, if it's the last thing I do, I will pay you back for everything you've done to her."

"You seem so sure of yourself, Christian," Elena mused. "Far cry from the sniveling young man I used to know."

Lips trembling into a spiteful smirk, Christian didn't back away. "You have not a single clue about the man I've become," Christian hissed. "He can be so charming...but absolutely ruthless to protect everything that he can rightfully control."

Cocking her head back, as Ana had watched her do on so many occasions, Elena cackled. "You've certainly bought into your own image, haven't you, Christian?"

"I do have an image, Elena," Christian began, "and it's double-sided. And very soon, you're going to understand exactly what I mean by that."

"Ha!" The blonde bob bounced again, as she tossed her head once more and raised her wine glass in the air. "Well, cheers to the man you believe you are...and cheers to this little trollop who thinks she knows everything..."

The anger and anticipation had been climbing through Ana's soul, brimming with curiosity and rage, and she fought so hard to hold herself back. "No, Elena, I don't know everything," Ana spoke up, "but one thing I do know is a ***ch when I meet one..."

"Oh, you monstrous little creature," Elena waved her hand in the air, dismissing Ana, "you really think you mean something _to him_ - mean something to _anyone_, for that matter? You're just a little country bumpkin, so seemingly innocent to the new big bad city. He'll grow tired of you, just like all the others. You're going to crash and burn in a month, and when that happens, you're going to wake up in your little bed, wondering what the hell happened and longing to go back to your dull little life in suburbia - or wherever you're from..."

"Stop...and stop right..._now_...Elena..." Christian edged closer to her. "You can't - and won't ever again - speak to her like that."

"You know, Elena..." Ana took a bold step, nearly tripping over her McQueen gown and Christian's foot in one move, "_I've about had enough._"

That was simply all Ana could manage - to even dare - say.

"Whine, whine, whine - that's all you know how to do, Anastasia," Elena mocked. "And I'm sure Christian just loves it. _Ouch,_ she made me stay late. _Oooie_, she gave me too many projects to work on. _Oh,_ she reprimanded me again..."

Elena's taunts only fueled Ana's absolute anger. A month of commands, orders, and scathing remarks climbed up to her consciousness, and Ana tapped her Louboutin against the stones. "You do _nothing_ all day, Elena, but for your hair and spa appointments," Ana charged. "You've left every last bit of your real work for me - a damn assistant - and yet I continuously have e-mails thanking _me_ for responding rather than _you_..."

"And while I'm not sure what the hell is going on right now," Ana continued, "I know that you are one vile pie of ***t. And the only reason that you haven't been fired yet is because everyone in the hierarchy of Remington is so afraid of you...so damn stupidly afraid..."

"Not for long, baby," Christian stepped in. "Not for long..."

"You dumb little thing," Elena mocked, "he's told you so many lies that you wouldn't even have a clue as to where to begin..."

"Elena, _quit_..." Christian grabbed her wrist, "and quit _now_..."

"No, Christian, you stop..._**STOP!**_" Ana bellowed, certain that everyone in the tent behind them couldn't hear her over the music. "I want to get to the bottom of this!"

"It's time you've heard everything, Anastasia," Elena warned. "You're so clearly not what he wants - what he _needs_. You're a mere diversion from his norm here."

"How _dare_ you say that, Elena?" Christian lunged forward.

"Come on, Christian," Elena goaded, "she's only seeing dollar signs. Once she has a stake in that, she'll be done with you. It's all quite clear. The writing's on the wall."

"Elena, the only things you know about me are of the professional sense," Ana charged. "I'm smart. I learn quickly. I know how to handle difficult people. And I've certainly proven that over the last few weeks working for you."

"Again, Anastasia, if you think I'm difficult, you've not yet experienced New York. Goodness - what the hell do you expect? A pat on the head and cookies and milk?"

_No, thank you, Botox Bitch, I get that from Christian_, Ana thought.

"I've expected nothing but a learning experience," Ana said. "And I think I've had that and more from you."

"Certainly, you've learned nothing from me," Elena retorted. "You're one of - if not _the most_ - disastrous assistants I've ever had. Your errors are..."

"I don't make errors, Elena, and I have the backup to prove it."

"You don't know how to write, don't understand the proper manners of business communication, can't comprehend a good book to save your life..."

Post-traumatic stress from the last month kicked into high gear as Ana listened to Elena tick off her supposed faults - picking, picking, picking her completely apart. And every single comment just poked and prodded on Ana's fraying last nerve.

"Why don't you be honest here?" Ana forged. "This has nothing to do with me - but it clearly has something to do with Christian."

"I don't have any more time for this..." So very amused, Elena laughed and attempted to walk away as she ever so casually tossed her glass of red wine...all over the front of Ana's dress...

"You..." Ana could feel the tiny tips of the heels of her shoes, grinding into the ground, but she wasn't about to budge form her fury. "...evil...ugly...infuriating...disgusting...awful ..."

As the backside of her fingers slammed against those puckered, Botoxed lips, Ana screamed, without a care for whom might have heard, "_*****CH**_!"

Immediately, Ana froze. _I'm fired. I am so damn fired. And I care. But I don't. And son of a ***ch, I'm biting my damn lip_.

"You whore!" Elena wailed, scuffing her own shoes against the pavement as she tried to reach out for Ana's hair. "Tell me, Anastasia, does he spank you that hard?"

Christian's strong hand stopped her mid-air. "Touch her, Elena, and I'll make sure you're thrown out on to Lily Pond Lane by _your_ hair. And you won't be moving by the time your $$ hits the road..."

"What the hell would you know about...?" Ana began, then stopped herself.

Relenting, Elena eased her arm away from his grip. "You are just so damn stupid, Christian Grey," she spat. "All she sees is green - green!"

"That can be said of many people," Christian said calmly, "but not of Ana."

"Her hands are so deep into your pockets that all you're feeling is your **ck twitching." Elena countered. "Those diamonds around her ugly little neck. Does she even understand what it _means_?"

Ana's lips pursed, wrinkling. "Do _you_, Elena?"

"Considering I gave Christian one a few years back, I think I do..."

Slow and steady, Ana wavered against Christian as the crippling realization settled over her. She could feel her knees giving way, as her body began to sway and a nauseous lump filled her stomach. In her daze, Ana attempted to comprehend the weight of Elena's comment.

_No, she didn't...no, she couldn't...no, she wasn't...the one who..._

Staggering on her own two feet, Ana felt as if she just might faint. Those evil words continued to echo - bellow - against her ears as she clutched her stomach, knowing that she just might be physically sick.

Triumphantly, Elena smiled. "You don't know, do you, Ana?" she taunted. "I was the first..."

Before Ana could realize or stop her own actions, her fist slammed into the folds of black silk draped around Elena's waist, shooting her directly backward into the pool.

As Ana rubbed her knuckles and silently thanked Ray for teaching her how to pack a punch, she thought she just might throw up all over her already wine-stained gown.


	40. Chapter 40

_**Chapter Forty**_  
"You're _**THROUGH**_at Remington, Anastasia Steele," Mascara dripping down her face, Elena roared into the night air, spitting the chlorinated water from her mouth as she made a poor attempt to float in her gown and jewels. "And I'll make damn sure you never work in another publishing house ever again..."

"No, Elena...after what you've done to Christian - _you're through_," Ana stood her ground, but trembled inside. "And if I have to die trying, I'll make sure you suffer for every last second of the torment you've put him through."

"Ana - _careful_," Christian warned.

"Yes, you should be careful, Anastasia," Elena continued to scream, just as if she were sitting at the desk with the phone glued to her ear.

"Why should I have to exert any caution? _You're_ the one who should be worried," Ana bit back. "He was _fifteen_, Elena. If you're that callous to think there's nothing wrong with that - that you haven't done some serious damage to his entire life - than you're just better off dead."

"Threatening me?" Elena questioned, clinging to edge of the pool.

"You're not worth spending the rest of my lifetime in jail..."

With a sharp turn, Ana just couldn't take anymore and began to run without a clue as to where she might be heading.

"Christian, I demand you get me out of this pool! Christian, you son of a..._**I can't swim**_, _**dammit**_!"

Elena's voice continued to thunder behind Ana as she continued on in her hurried rush with Christian close at her heels. She needed time alone. Needed time to think.

"Ana, come back here..." Christian ordered, narrowing closer toward her. "Ana, don't run - _don't leave me_..."

Just when she spotted a path - a clearing that she knew would return her to the guest house - Ana's heel stuck in the grass and snapped, forcing her to trip over her own gown and pulling her to the ground.

"Ana..." His arms wrapped around her, holding her so fiercely as if he were truly afraid she would leave. "Baby, please..."

"Why the hell didn't you tell me, Christian?" Ana questioned. "How the hell could you allow me to work for...for that - fiend...that ogre?"

"I've been taking care of all that, Anastasia," he turned her face to look at him. "But I had to be very careful here..."

"I am so upset...and angry...and sad..."

She covered her face with her hands. This was all just too much for her to absorb in one evening. A part of her wanted to run back down that hill and finish off Elena Lincoln for good, while another voice inside her head told her to just run away from everything before she had the chance to allow herself to get hurt any further.

"I just lost my job...I broke my damn shoe..." Ana muttered.

"You're not going to lose your job-"

"Why don't you just tell me another lie, Mr. Grey?"

"I am not lying to you, baby," Christian said, pulling her hands away from her face. "What specifically do you want to know, Ana?"

"Why couldn't you just tell me about her, Christian?" Yes, she was angry - so very angry. She couldn't even speak that poor excuse for a woman's name. "Why did you have to keep that secret from me?"

"If you'd just let me explain..."

"Yes, I want you to explain," Ana snapped. "I want to know _everything_..."

"Do you?" he asked, his eyes burning right through Ana's tearful stare. "Do you really want to hear about how she shackled me and left me for two days in her pool shed? Do you want to know about how when I was a child - before I was adopted - my mother's boyfriend burned me with cigarettes all over one side of my chest and how Elena finished up the other side? Is that good enough? Is that enough information for you?"

At that point, she could have easily put her hands over her ears and took off screaming into the night. Yet she sat in the grass, in her ruined couture gown and shoes, placed her hands so tenderly over his shoulders and whispered, "Yes, Christian..." Ana whispered. "_I do want to know_..."

"You're still here..."

"And why does that always shock you?" she wondered. "_Why_...?"

"Because, baby, I don't deserve you..."

"I really wish you'd stop that thinking, Christian," she pleaded. "Just stop that - and_ talk to me_..."

"Ana, I wanted to spare you the details," he admitted. "And you had to work with her, at least for the time being..."

"You don't think I would have quit Remington in a heartbeat if I would have known?" Ana pressed him.

"Well, that's something that you won't have to do now, baby," he assured her.

"I know - because I'm sure that when I walk in there on Monday morning, I'll promptly be fired..."

Christian shook his head. "No, you won't, baby..."

"Come on, Christian," Ana said, "do you really think you can pull strings and call in favors this time? I slapped her - I pushed her in the pool. And worst of all, I now know her darkest, evil secret..."

"Ana, as of Monday morning," he began, "you have a new boss..."

"What are you talking about?"

"I _bought_ the company," he explained. "It's what I've been working on for the last couple of weeks."

"But..." Ana shook her head in disbelief. "What...how...when were you going to tell me?"

"Tonight, actually," he said. "I thought it would be a lovely surprise to end the evening on - until this..."

"So she's out - _she's gone_?" Ana asked.

"She'll be reassigned..."

"_Reassigned_?" Ana wailed. "What good is that going to do? Go to the police! She _abused_ you, Christian - more horrifically than I could have even imagined..."

"The statute of limitations has run out, Ana," he said. "That's not an option."

"Oh, no...Christian...my darling...what has she done to you?" Ana folded her fingers behind his neck and just held him. "How could you allow her to continue to get away with this?"

"Ana, _none_ of this can get out...it'll be my ruin."

"Christian, you have to eliminate that mindset," Ana insisted. He knew she wasn't about to give up any time soon. "Talk to your parents at least."

"My _parents_?" His eyes opened wide, steely with fear. "How could I possibly tell them?"

"Because they _love_ you." _And so, dammit, do I_, she thought. "And I'm sure your mother would have certainly brought that woman to her demise years ago if she knew. You need support here, and I'm all in this for you here, but I'm not nearly enough..."

"It's taken years of therapy - and you've helped me more over the last few weeks than anyone or anything," he whispered. "I'll be fine."

"No, Christian - you're_ not fine_ from all this!" Ana spat, stopping herself before she completely lost her patience. "You're in some kind of denial here. You're hurting. It's killing you. And for some reason, you're still afraid of her. You can't just buy a company and think that by moving her you'll have your day."

"I will have my day, Ana. I always do," he promised. "But if I dare try to expose her, she's going to strike back and reveal all of my secrets..._all of my dirty little secrets_..."

"Christian, you're so damaged here you're not seeing the truth here - it's that woman who should be worrying. She's the one with the horrible past!"

"Maybe so, Ana, but I have to show some caution on my end here, too."

"Why? Oh, my sweet, sweet man, _why_?" she implored, tears stinging her eyes. "You're carrying around the responsibility of what she did to you - but _you're the victim_."

"Anastasia..."

Suddenly, Christian couldn't face her. He stopped, stiffening once again just as he had when they'd initially run into Elena. Ana prayed that he wouldn't stop - wouldn't hold back now.

"Elena is blackmailing me..."


	41. Chapter 41

_**Chapter Forty-One**_  
Ana's mind began to whirl, but suddenly everything made so much sense - his reluctance to tell her about Elena's true identity, his clandestine acquisition of Remington, even his hesitation to confide in his own parents. Now, she even understood why he'd been formerly so obsessed with blondes - he was merely channeling his anger toward Elena. Yet he was so absolutely blinded by paranoia over the possibility of that woman going to the press about his proclivities toward BDSM that Christian just couldn't conquer his own fears.

"I'm just sick right now about what she did to you - what she continues to do to you," Ana spoke at last. "All along I thought I was the victim here in her little charade...but you...Christian...she..."

"You understand now why I can't just force her out, Ana?" he asked. "I'm stuck - trapped."

"What about turning her in?" Ana suggested. "Go to the police. Have her arrested...she's blackmailing you..."

"I can't do that, Anastasia - I have far too much to risk here," he said. "And do you really want your name dragged through the mud with mine?"

Ana took his hand and held it. "I've already told you that I'm here for you in all of this."

"But you're so sweet, baby - so innocent still," he said. "I can't destroy your entire reputation before you even have the chance to build one."

"Please, Christian, stop..." Ana squeezed his upper arms, forcing him to pay attention to her. "Stop worrying about everyone else - what they'll think, how they'll react. Think about _yourself_ for a change..."

"Can't do that, baby," he said. "It's just easier to focus on everybody else."

_Oh, my Fifty Shades of Despair, how bruised - how wounded - life has left you,_ she thought, fighting her tears once again. She couldn't cry, for Christian's sake. He needed her to be strong, supportive...and whether he knew it or not, he needed her to take some control.

"Can I just...ask you how all this came about?" Ana asked so very softly, almost as if she didn't want to disturb him. "Are you OK right now with at least telling me that?

"I told you, Ana, I was an awkward kid - at my best," he began. "Didn't have many friends. Certainly didn't have a girlfriend...no one wanted to go out with that gangly nerd, Christian Grey."

"Somehow, I doubt that, but go on...'

"Elena was an acquaintance of my mother. I really didn't know anything about her other than the fact that she lived a couple of blocks away and served on a couple of committees with my mom," he said. "It was New Year's Eve. My mother had one of her infamous soirees. And unbeknownst to Grace and Carrick, Elliot and I had broken into the liquor cabinet that night. Elena caught us. Elliot got away - went out and found a party of his own. And that left me alone with her in a very secluded area of that penthouse..."

"So that's how it all began..." Ana shook her head, wishing she could rid herself of the images creeping into her thoughts.

"And I let it go on for two and half years..."

"Please stop blaming yourself for all of it, Christian..." Ana begged. "At least with me - don't let her escape any fault..."

"No, it was...you're right," he whispered, "...it _was_ her fault. I know that now. Maybe I knew it then, too..."

"So you said before - you ended it right before college?" Ana hoped he'd continue. As painful as it was for her to sit and listen, she so desperately needed to hear every word - every detail he was willing to offer her.

"Yeah...by the time I went away to Harvard, I wanted nothing to do with her at that point," he continued. "When I dropped out, I came back to New York...started my company by the seat of my pants, and I had no idea how things would go. I was twenty years old, and honestly, I was so broken that I guess I just thought I would never amount to much of anything."

"Isn't that how every twenty year old seems to think?" Ana wondered out loud. "In fact, I think I'm still there..."

Cupping her chin with his hand, he murmured, "I don't think you have anything to worry about, baby..."

Ana managed a tiny smile. "So...you stayed clear of her?"

Thoughtfully, Christian nodded. "I tried to..." he said. "I systematically managed to avoid all contact with her. I stopped attending my own mother's parties. Pretty much ignored the social scene all together. And I lived my quiet little existence...

"You were still playing though...?" Ana pressed him. "With your other subs...?"

"Yeah," he admitted reluctantly, but realized that Ana already knew the answer. "Of course I was."

"So how did she - you know - weasel her way back into the picture?"

"I made my first million...then a few more..." he reminisced. "I was on the cover of all the business magazines - the 'it' boy, if you will. And curiosity about my personal life began to rise in the mainstream press as well. There were so many speculations. I was gay. I was dating this model, or that actress. Hell, one gossip item even suggested that I might be impotent..."

For the first time since they'd clashed with Elena by the pool, Ana found herself snickering. "I'm sorry," she said. "But _that's_ really funny..."

"It was," he said, enjoying her smile for a brief moment. "But all of that led Elena Lincoln back to me. She knew how hungry the media was to find out about my personal life, and she used that to her advantage."

"Oh, Christian," Ana took his hand and held it up to her cheek. "That's how the blackmail all started?"

"Yes," he hissed. "She actually hired a private detective to do some digging, found out where - and how - I spent my weekends. She even managed to uncover a girl I used to scene with back in college. She had pictures. Rather graphic pictures - bruises, scrapes. And she was willing to come forth - to say what I did to her. Say that I forced her..."

"I guess that was before you drafted any sort of NDA," Ana said.

"It was, Ana," Christian said.

"What about the girl?" Ana wondered.

"Let's just say she's had her entire Ivy League education privately funded..."

Ana shivered. He was such a brilliant man - caring, even, and kind to the core - yet his own fears and abusive path led him down such a dark and dangerous road, and he simply couldn't see his own self-destruction.

While she was terrified to ask, she also needed answers. "What else, Christian? What's on the horizon here?"

"Right now, I honestly don't know," he admitted. "Every year, it seems Elena tries to find something new - something that could very well put an end to life as I know it. Someone - something. She's not nearly through, and it's just a matter of time when the next shoe drops. And I know she's really scrambling now because she's so damned angry that I've found you..."

"So what's your solution here?" she pressed him. "What are you going to do?"

"I've upped surveillance on her," he said. "She'll be moved to a position where I can keep a closer eye on her. And hopefully, I'll be one step ahead of her evil game this time around, Ana."

"You can't just keep paying people off," Ana said. "One day, everything is going to just come back and haunt you..."

"I have to, Ana," he said. "There are no other options here. And I just don't know who to trust - if anyone..."

"Yet you've let your guard down with me..." she noted.

"I've told you already," he said as he twisted one of her tendrils around his finger, "you're so very different - not like any woman I've ever known in my lifetime."

"I would never break your confidence, Christian," Ana said, clutching his hand with the hope of reassurance. "I hope you believe that."

"Yes, Ana," he said, "I do."

"Will you promise me something?" Ana asked. "Will you promise me that you'll tell me everything? It doesn't have to be tonight - that's not what I'm asking. But I want to know everything, Christian. About her - about your childhood. And I know it's painful, but I want you to confide in me."

"I promise you," he took her hand and brought it to his lips for a lingering kiss, "I will."

"And promise me that you'll just _think_ about doing something about Elena?"

He drew in a sharp breath and sat back just slightly from Ana. "I will _think_ about it - but only for you."

Placing her hands on his cheeks, she pulled him close for just one sweet kiss. "Thank you, Kind Sir."

"No, baby," he shook his head, "thank _you_."

For some time, he just held Ana there in the grass, as she tried to make some semblance of his life - of their lives together now - in her thoughts. There was nothing she could possibly do at the moment, but all the while, Ana's mind wandered toward what that calculating Botox ***ch might have up her sleeve. She feared her like no one else, but Ana wasn't about to let that woman destroy Christian further. She'd done enough. And Ana cared far too much about Christian Grey to allow her to continue to intrude upon his well being.

"Well, I don't think there's any point in returning to your mother's party right now," Ana said, shrugging her shoulders as she looked down and mourned the death of her dress. "I don't have anything else to change into that would be appropriate."

"We'll get that cleaned, baby," he said, and patted her hand. "You know, I think that after the tough evening Penelope has had, she needs a little bedtime story tonight."

"Yes - Penelope gave her boss a smackdown, lost her job, got it back..."

"And now she's just sleeping with her new boss," he reminded her as he stood, then helped Ana off the ground.

Ana groaned. "Oh, she _is_!"

"I've heard rumors that she likes it a little rough," Christian teased, putting his arm around Ana to lead her down the path back to the guest house in her bare feet. "Sweet little Penelope Lynn Merryweather. Who would have _ever_ thought? She was always such a good girl..._such a very good girl_..."

When they finally arrived at the cottage, Ana actually reveled in the thought of just changing her clothes and snuggling on the couch with Christian for a little while. Even down time with him was magnificent, especially over this weekend. Seeing him, for the most part, so relaxed and just living in each and every moment made her fall for yet another facet of his personality that so rarely surfaced back in Manhattan.

Just as Christian unlocked the door, he eased Ana to the side. "Did you hear that?" he whispered.

Ana refused to ask herself what possibly _else_ could happen that evening, but her fears began to rise again. She could only imagine the worst of scenarios unfolding inside, all which led back to Elena Lincoln returning for Round Two.

Popping his head just inside the door, he winced, then turned around, pulling the door closed in one loud slam.

Frantic, Ana reached for his arm. "What's the matter?"

"Son of a bitch just lost his corporate jet privileges," he muttered.

"What the hell's wrong now?"

"Let's see...how shall I phrase this, Ana?" Christian pulled at his hair. "Um...your roommate is in there...on the couch...with her head in my brother's lap."

All Ana could do was curse Katherine Agnes Kavanagh, all the while seething that she wasn't going to get her bedtime story that evening...


	42. Chapter 42

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** First, a HUGE thanks to everyone who's been following along. I so appreciate the comments and reviews, and I'm really enjoying chatting with everyone as I write this story.

Please note that I won't be posting as regularly this week as I have some things in real life to attend. But I'll be back on my regular schedule before week's end.

As always, thanks again!  
xx  
bb

_**Chapter Forty-Two**_  
With a groan, Christian pulled the pillow over his head as Ana placed two mugs of coffee on the nightstand.

"Oh, Penelope, please don't make me get up..."

Ana kissed his ear, her giggles tickling. "It's almost ten, and your mother's serving brunch before we leave," she reminded him, as she lifted the corner of his pillow and peeked into those sleepy steely eyes. "Then...back to reality..."

After being figuratively locked out of the guest cottage the night before by Elliot and her **ck sucking roommate, they'd decided that the only place to go was the beach. Ana certainly didn't want to go back to the main house and be forced to answer questions as to why her dress was splattered with red wine, and both of them wanted to avoid all chances of running into Elena Lincoln.

Together, as they watched the sun rise, Ana replayed every last detail of their weekend in her mind, wishing she could have stopped time just before they'd decided to leave the party. Sitting in the sand again, they continued to talk, but avoided anything that bordered on emotion. However, Ana hadn't expected another deep conversation - nor could she fault him. Christian had already offered so much of his past, and while Ana knew he still harbored so many secrets, she was so very proud of him for his courage.

However, between the two of them, Ana and Christian had only about four hours of sleep.

Moving the pillow aside, Christian sat up and immediately wove his fingers through Ana's hair. "You OK, this morning, baby?" he asked. "I'm so very worried about you..."

_And I'm very worried about you_, Ana thought, but mustered a smile instead. "I'm nervous about everything. I'm sort of dreading going to work tomorrow..."

"Oh, that's the least of our problems right now," he said. "Tomorrow's going to be your best day since you started working there."

"Well, how are you, Mr. Grey?" Ana said, lounging beside him on her own pillow, searching his face for any clues - any signs. "We had quite an evening..."

He stiffened. His jaw tightened. But he continued to hold her gaze. "I'm so sorry, baby," he whispered. "I kept so much from you."

_You're killing yourself so very slowly, Christian, and I'm not going to just sit here and watch._ "I told you last night that I refuse to listen to you accept any more blame," Ana said. "Starting now, we move forward. We'll deal with whatever tomorrow brings. But I'm not going to allow that woman to interfere in our lives ever again, Christian. Just heed those words."

"Ana, don't involve yourself any more than you already are," he warned. "She's dangerous, and you're clearly her new target."

Ana sat up suddenly, and took both of his hands in hers. "You have total domination over your empire, Mr. Grey. And you know you have me under your complete rapture in the bedroom, Kind Sir. And I wouldn't change any of that for the world," she said. "But I'm not going to allow that monster to ruin our lives any more than she already has. So just be prepared, Christian, you may have to relinquish some control..."

"Anastasia, so help me, if you even think about-"

Scooting out of bed, Ana stood for a moment, hands on her hips. "Brunch is at noon," she reminded him, "and I don't want to hear Elliot's mouth if we're late. Now, to save some time, last one in the shower's a rotten egg!"

Climbing out and enjoying the chase toward the master bath, Christian called out, "You really think that's going to _save_ time?"

# # #

"Afternoon, lil bro," Elliot said, as he strolled through with his bottle of Gatorade and a copy of _The New York Times_. He stopped at Christian's chair at the table on the patio, lowered his sunglasses on his nose, then turned to Ana. "And you, Penelope..."

With all of the drama that brought their beautiful evening to a horrific end, Ana almost forgot about all of the joy that had preceded. Sharing a knowing smile with Christian, she couldn't help but to giggle.

"Sunday Styles, kids," Elliot said, placing the newspaper between Christian and Ana. "If I were you, Babycakes, I'd be worried about this Merryweather chick he took to the party last night."

"That's Ana's evil twin," Christian attempted to explain with the utmost serious expression on his face. "Oh, I'm sorry, Elliot - you must not have been aware - but I'm dating _both_ of them."

As the brothers Grey continued to banter per their norm, Ana couldn't stop herself from leaning in a little closer, just to see the photo. So blissful and beautiful. In fact, her breath caught just a bit looking at Christian in his tux again, and the sight of her collar sparkling against the midnight blue backdrop of her fated dress brought tears to her eyes. Now she only wished she could just recapture those serene smiles that looked back at her from the page.

_Titan Christian Grey finally breaks his silence on the new woman in his life. Grey, pictured with Penelope Lynn Merryweather, an associate with K-mart, attended the annual summer fundraiser for Mercy Hospital last night at the Hamptons home of his parents, Carrick and Dr. Grace Trevelyan-Grey._

"Hey, guys!" Mia bounced into their little scene, pecking every last cheek with kisses. "And _where_ did you guys disappear to last night? I was looking for you!"

"Great question, Mia! We _tried_ to head back to the guest house," Christian said, throwing the old evil eye to his older brother. "However, it seemed to be occupied with unwanted guests from the party. So we decided we'd just go for a walk on the beach."

Mia's face curdled. "Oh, you hooked up, didn't you, El?"

"Why am _I_ always the bad boy?" He tossed his arms in the air as he took a seat next to Christian. "Your _other_ brother here lied to the _Times_ last night!"

"Oh, come on, Elliot," Mia defended, "that was just funny!"

"Gonna be even funnier when El tries to borrow the corporate jet," Christian added.

"You _promised_, Christian Slater Grey..." Elliot charged.

"No, I made a deal," Christian corrected his older brother. "You reneged on your end, so aforementioned deal fell through. It's Business 101, buddy."

"It wasn't even worth it," Elliot said, stealing back his newspaper and shielding his eyes from the family. "That roommate of yours, Babycakes, is one nasty girl."

"I could have told you that before she blew you, bro," Christian said, ignoring his poor little sister's squeals.

"OK, guys, stop it now," Mia begged, her eyes pleading with Ana for backup.

However, Elliot piqued Ana's curiosity, and she was so very thankful for all of the diversions he brought with him that afternoon. "Why do you say that, Elliot?"

"She was all cute and canoodly at the party," he said, "so I stole her away. Pickings weren't so great last night, let me tell you. And afterward, all she seemed to want to talk about was the two of you."

Now, it was Christian's turn to wince. "Please don't tell me you gave her any information?"

"Oh, hell to the no!" Elliot said. "Bro, I always have your back."

Now Ana was superbly pissed off - to the point where she wondered how she was actually going to face Kate when she returned home that evening.

However, before Ana could question Elliot further, Grace and Carrick stepped outside, both of them smiling at the sight before them.

Immediately, Ana stood up, realizing that they'd never said good-bye to the Greys before cutting out much too early.

"I'm so sorry that we left in such a hurry," she began to explain.

"Ana had a little wardrobe malfunction," Christian added.

"Oh, no worries - we're just glad you're both OK," Grace's voice soothed. her palm stroking Ana's hair. "And the photos of you two are everywhere this morning..."

Googling herself was never something Ana thought she should do. The mere idea, in fact, made her shudder just wondering what the world was now thinking of one Penelope Lynn Merryweather.

"Did anyone hear about Elena Lincoln last night?" Grace asked rather suddenly.

Beneath the lovely linen tablecloth, Ana pressed her foot into Christian's, musing only for a moment that Christian seemed to be biting his own lip. The last thing she wanted was for Grace to find out what really happened - for her own sake and especially for that of Christian. Ana held her breath, played dumb and waited for the rest of the conversation to unfold.

"Seems she fell in the pool somehow," Grace said.

"Oh, she's a notorious drunk, Grace," Carrick said. "Are you really surprised?"

"Well, I just don't want a lawsuit, Carrick," Grace said. "It was her own fault being there by herself, but she can certainly twist a story to her advantage. I don't want her saying that she tripped over a crack in the concrete or anything..."

"Take pictures, Grace, with the date stamp on the camera..." Carrick advised.

"I don't know how to turn that thing on and off," Grace said.

"Oh, sheesh!" Elliot said. "_I'll_ do it after brunch."

Whew! Ana sighed with temporary relief. They knew nothing...at least for the moment. Ana relieved the pressure from Christian's foot as he turned to her, his eyes promising punishment.

"So how about Penelope?" Elliot chimed in.

"How _about_ that Penelope..." Carrick repeated, chuckling to himself as he picked up the newspaper. "Oh, you kids..."

# # #

"Good evening, Miss Steele," Jonathan stood up behind the desk in the lobby of her apartment building and extended his hand to Ana, which she pretended not to notice. "And how was your weekend?"

"Beautiful, Jonathan," she said and offered a tired but polite smile as she slugged along toward the elevator, still feeling Christian's final kiss before she stepped out of the car on her lips. However, dread replaced the respite of euphoria that allowed her to forget about Elena - and forget about Katherine Kavanagh - for just a little while on that early Sunday evening.

"Well, if it isn't Penelope Lynn Merryweather," Kate jumped up from her Chinese take-out at the dining room table and rushed to the door to greet Ana. "Only your bag? Where's your gown?"

"Christian's taking it to his dry cleaner," Ana said simply. She didn't need to fuel Kate's curiosity by telling her that it had been stained.

"He's _personally_ taking it, or having a member of his staff drop it off?" Kate asked.

Ana looked at her and rolled her eyes with obvious annoyance.

"Oh, come on, Ana, I was just teasing you."

_Were you teasing Elliot, too?_ Ana wondered.

"You looked so pretty last night," Kate said, her tone ringing with such a patronizing air that Ana just wanted to smack her, too. "And all of the gossip columns are just a-buzz right now. K-mart confirmed that you two lied...now _everyone_ wants to know who you are!"

"I'm sure his publicist has a handle on things," Ana said as she breezed her way into the kitchen for a glass of water.

"His publicist! Oh, listen to you, girl!" Kate rambled. "Whoda thunk that our very own Anastasia Steele all the way from Montesano, Washington, would be the girl behind door number one in a celebrity media frenzy?"

Ana didn't miss that dig, and shrugged her shoulders. "Whoda thunk, Kate?"

"So when is your mom coming in?" Kate asked. "You know, she can have my bed - I'll take the sofa. It's a sleeper."

"Tuesday night," Ana replied curtly, knowing full well that Kate was expecting an invitation to spend some time with Carla while she was in town. "She can take the sofa bed."

"Will she be meeting Christian?"

"She'll be meeting him," Ana nodded, "but not until after I have the chance to tell her about him."

"Oh!" Kate covered her mouth. "She doesn't know...?"

"I wanted to tell her in person," Ana explained. "Your confidence would be appreciated until I have that chance."

"I won't say a word!" Kate raised her hand. Ana could only hope that she'd keep her word.

"You had a good time at the party?" Ana asked, just for sport. "With _Marcus_?"

"Oh, well, he's just...a nice guy," Kate said. "Not like - serious dating material or anything, like you and Christian..."

Cocking her eyebrow, Ana curled her lips, wondering why Kate hadn't bothered to mention Elliot.

"You know, Christian mentioned that he saw you and Elliot," Ana piped in, deciding to kick the game up a notch. "In the guest cottage, I believe."

"Well..." A slow smile spread across Kate's lips, but she didn't bother to blush. "You know, he's really cute - and funny, too."

"Oh, he can be wickedly funny," Ana said, recalling how he trashed Kate endlessly over brunch. In fact, later that afternoon, Christian told her in private that Elliot confided it had indeed been the worst blow job of his entire promiscuous life. Ana derived almost as much pleasure in knowing that Kate couldn't even manage to sleep her way to the top as she did when playing with Christian in The Red Room of Pain.

"Listen, do you want some Chinese? I bought enough to feed an army," Kate offered. "I've got some wine, too. We can fill each other in on the weekend?"

"Sorry, Kate, I've got a long day ahead of me tomorrow and a few things to do before my mother comes in," Ana apologized without a trace of sincerity. She was so finished playing these games. "I'm going to call it a very early evening."

"I feel like I'm never going to have any alone time with my best friend again," Kate said suddenly, catching Ana a bit off her game. "Work. Christian. Now your mom. I miss you, Steele."

"On the 'morrow, Kate," Ana said and picked up her weekend bag.

"'night, Roomie..."


	43. Chapter 43

_**Chapter Forty-Three**_  
"Anastasia, so help me, I shall unleash Fifty Shades of Crimson all over your ass if you even think of walking into that building before noon," Christian's voice boomed over the line as Ana put the final touches on her make-up that gloriously rainy Monday morning.

Just how she loved to start her week - arguing with cranky Christian.

"I want that woman moved before she has the chance to see you this morning," he continued. "She's going to try to burn you alive at the stake..."

"I'm no longer afraid of her, Christian," Ana said, cradling the phone between her shoulder and ear as she slipped into her heels and smoothed her hands over her skirt. "Please don't deny me the pleasure of seeing her demise..."

"Denying your pleasure is my favorite game, baby," he said, "and I'm happy to do it again this morning..."

"I'm going, Christian..."

"I refuse to send Sawyer until eleven-thirty..."

Ana had to laugh. Sometimes, he was so removed from the masses that it just made her smile.

"We live in a city with one of the biggest public transit systems in the world," Ana reminded him. "I think I can find my way to work _somehow_."

"Anastasia Rose, don't you dare piss me off this morning-"

Yes, it was indeed a wet Monday morning in New York City, and Christian Grey had returned. All seemed right with the world again...at least for a little while.

# # #

_Busted_!

"Ana..."

She rolled her eyes and nodded. "Sawyer..."

His giant hand closed over the car door handle and yanked it open in one single swift movement, all the while his smile was both amused and apologetic. "Mr. Grey said that I should put you in the car if you don't go willingly..."

A deep sigh heaved her chest. Ana never thought she'd feel this way, but just once, she would have loved to have taken the rush-hour subway to work. With a groan, she shook out her umbrella and slipped into the backseat, wondering how the morning would unfold.

"I should also tell you now, Ana," Sawyer began as he carefully pulled into traffic, "that Mr. Grey has asked me to escort you upstairs to your desk this morning."

_Of course, he did_! Rummaging through her bag, Ana fought with her brush, tubes of lipstick, gum and pens to find her phone.

"No," she said the second he picked up.

"_Yes_, Ana."

"I am an editorial assistant, Christian," she said. "I'm the lowest rung on the corporate ladder. How is that going to look to my colleagues if I just stroll in with a bodyguard because I'm dating the new boss?"

"Listen, Ana, I am going to say this once," his tone was sharp, biting, "I am not going to have her try to hurt you the way she's hurt me. I have the money and the means to protect you, and I'm going to do it."

"Christian-"

"End of conversation, Anastasia," he said. "I'm not going to apologize for caring about you and your safety. Understand?"

"Yes...Kind Sir..."

"Good girl..." he said. "Now, go to work."

# # #

The first thing Ana did when she stepped into her cubicle was read the press release e-mailed to the entire company, explaining the buyout and reassuring everyone that their jobs were safe. She also really wanted to talk to Jillian, just to assure herself that she had her new work buddy's confidence. At that point, Ana wasn't sure who - if anyone - at Remington recognized her in the hundreds of photos now floating around the worldwide web, and she felt that a little reminder to Jillian just might be a good thing.

However, before she could make any further moves, that voice called out for what she'd hoped was the very last time.

_**"ANASTASIA STEELE...WHERE...ARE...YOU?"**_

"Right here, Elena," Ana's oh-so cheery voice rose over the cubes, and as she stepped out boldly into the aisle, she noticed Sawyer, from the corner of her eye, as he moved from the empty cube he'd inhabited to ready for position.

Tiny little Ana never felt so tall in her life as she did when she stepped into Elena's doorway sporting a giant grin. She could only guess that Elena hadn't yet checked her e-mail to find out about the buyout.

"So..._other than that, Mrs. Lincoln_," Ana said, "_did you enjoy the show_?"

Smashing her hands to her desk, Elena pushed herself up, blew a puff of angry air from her lips, and just as she was about to howl, a quiet voice spoke up suddenly behind Ana.

"Excuse me, Anastasia..."

When she spun on her heels, Ana came face to face with Alexis Stephenson, Vice President of Human Resources at Remington, and two very large gentleman in fine black suits who both just looked like they'd stepped out of Grey Enterprise Holdings.

"I'm going to ask you to step out for a moment," Alexis said. "I need to have a word with Elena."

Ana couldn't race back to her desk quick enough, and she nearly ran Sawyer over as she hustled, only to stand and watch over the wall and through the window in Elena's office. They'd closed the door, but her ire was obvious. Elena's eyes bulged, her cheeks flushed, and Ana thought she might have actually seen her forehead wiggle just a tiny bit.

Temptation flooded her to take a picture, but she was too terrified it might break her phone...or that Christian might if he saw the photo.

When Ana saw Alexis rise, she quickly took her seat, so as not to be noticed, and pecked at her e-mail.

"Ana, just to let you know," Alexis moved in and sat on the corner of the U-shaped desk, "Elena's been reassigned with the restructuring..."

"Oh, really?" Ana played dumb. "Wow...where will she be...heading?"

Alexis took a quick look around, then lowered her voice. "Seems she's needed in the mailroom at the main office at GEH at Park and 42nd Street. She'll be relocated immediately."

"I see..." _Christian Grey, I love you for all of eternity and beyond_...

"I understand Jillian's out on vacation week, so I'll speak to her as soon as she returns," Alexis said, "but you should have a new supervisor in place by next Monday. Now, are you comfortable being on your own for a few days? It's a short week with the holiday..."

"I'll be fine, Alexis, but thank you for asking," Ana said.

"If you have any concerns or any problems, please feel free to come to me - my door is always open."

"I really appreciate that," Ana said.

"Well, listen, you have a wonderful Fourth of July, Anastasia..."

"I will - I _will_. And you, too."

Ana waited a few moments before Alexis cleared the area, then stood to look in Elena's window once again with the fascination of watching triage after a plane crash. Christian's two heavies flanked her as she packed her personal items into a box, cursing all the while. In fact, even with the door closed, everyone on the floor could hear her dropping f-bombs left and right.

Every time Ana looked at that woman, the thoughts of what she'd done to Christian resurfaced, and her fury spiked again. She destroyed him - physically and emotionally - and while he managed to project such calm and strength to the world, only Ana knew the depths of damage that drained his soul.

With that, she couldn't resist one final dig, and as she made her final return to Elena Lincoln's office, Sawyer followed her every move.

Ana knocked on the door, but didn't bother to wait for a response.

"Get out! OUT!" Elena waved a dramatic arm toward the door.

"Actually, I just wanted to stop in to thank you," Ana said.

Tossing two picture frames into a copy paper box similar to the one she'd forced Ana to carry, Elena said, "Thank me?"

"If you did nothing else this weekend, you brought a whole new depth to my relationship with Christian," Ana said. "There is now a trust between us like none other."

"Get the hell out of here..." her voice seethed through clenched teeth.

"Considering security's already here, I don't think this is a real problem," Ana said. "Just remember, I know more than you do now..."

"I'm going to pay you both back if it's the last damn thing I do on this earth..." She turned to one of the bodyguards and said, "I think I'm ready to leave now..."

All the while, Ana thought of the burns on Christian's chest, the random acts of torture that Ana was certain he hadn't told her about yet, the abuse that she herself suffered at Elena's hands, and she glanced at the box on her desk. On a whim, she picked it up. That box was heavy.

"The least I can do is help you with your things," Ana insisted. "Like I said, I really do appreciate all that you've..."

With a leisurely air as she continued to ramble, Ana moved toward Elena, and she ever so casually caught her heel on the leg of one of the guest chairs in front of the desk, inadvertently forcing her to drop the box from her hands. After untangling her shoe, she stood back and smirked as Elena cried out in pain and rubbed her foot.

"Oh, darling," Ana said, "I hope you're not taking the subway with that today - especially in the rain..."

# # #

_**From: Anastasia Steele**_  
_**Subject: Ooops! I did it again!**_  
_**Date: July 1, 2013, 10:07**_  
_**To: Christian Grey**_

_My Dearest Kind Sir:_  
_You are well aware of my clumsy nature._

_While in that woman's office, paying my adieus and thanking her for opening a new level of trust in our relationship, I offered to help her carry a box filled with her personal items._

_Don't you know that my heel just happened to catch - and I sorta-kinda tripped! Anyway, Kind Sir, that heavy box just slipped through my weak little lady-fingers and sorta-kinda fell on her foot! *GASP*_

_Hence I write to you to find out what the workman's comp policy is at GEH, as I'm sure she'll be inquiring soon._

_Awkwardly Yours,_  
_Penelope_  
_Anastasia Steele_

Chuckling to herself, Ana hit send, then decided to do some real work that morning. The day was rather slow, considering everyone seemed to be fretting over the take-over, and she thought she just might have a chance to clear some small items from her ever-growing list of things to do.

Perhaps now, she might have some time free in the evenings, she thought. While he'd mentioned nothing of Elena's replacement, Ana knew for certain that Christian likely had final say in the hiring process. He simply wouldn't allow that line of abuse to continue after he'd bought the company - and he most definitely wanted to protect Ana from any possible harm.

When she checked her e-mail again a half-hour later, she noticed an almost immediate response from Christian, and clicked to open his note.

_**From: Christian Grey**_  
_**Subject: You Know That She's Toxic**_  
_**Date: July 1, 2013, 10:14**_  
_**To: Anastasia Steele**_

_Dear Britney:_

_As my brother would say, payback is a gift that just keeps on giving...however, keep in mind that you are in a place of business - __**my business**__._

_Regardless of whether one is indeed sleeping with the boss, she should conduct herself appropriately at all times. At GEH, we adhere to very high standards of practice in all divisions of the company. For an act of insubordination, an employee should be punished._

_Under most circumstances, I refer such issues to the Human Resources Department. However, rest assured, I shall take this indiscretion into my own hands._

_For now, you are advised to await further instruction, and consider this a warning._

_Admonishingly,_  
_CG_  
_CEO, Grey Enterprise Holdings, Inc._

_I went from Botox Bitch to the Marquis de Sade, _Ana thought as she deleted Christian's note. The thought made her snicker.

However, she couldn't help but feel that throughout that whole morning - from their first phone call of the day - he'd felt he'd lost his grip on his control. Christian was, after all, still Christian, and he'd so uncharacteristically allowed Ana to gain the upper hand over the past two days. She'd stood up to Elena - then later to him, as she struggled against his demons to try to make sense of his increasingly nightmarish world. Now, he needed to take back his position in the driver's seat.

Milling on through, Ana decided to take her first official lunch break since she'd started at Remington, and found herself strolling around in the rain - with Sawyer not far behind - and just taking in the neighborhood. Bookstores, coffee shops, burger joints and five-star restaurants - even Bloomingdales was only a few blocks north. Maybe one day, she and Jillian might actually have the chance to sit down and eat a proper meal together - or even grab a drink after work.

When Ana returned to the office, coffee cup in hand, she felt relaxed and ready to conquer the rest of the afternoon. Most of Elena's work, for the time being, had been filtered through another editor, and Ana submitted her reports and expenses to him for approval, then caught up on her e-mails that she'd received while out.

It was around three o'clock when Ana's phone rang with a number she recognized as a line from GEH. She thought perhaps Christian was calling her from a conference room or from some location in the building other than his office, but she maintained her professionalism when she answered the phone.

"This is Anastasia Steele..."

"Hi, Anastasia," the woman, whose voice bore a thick New York City accent, greeted her. "This is Olivia, from Mr. Grey's office at GEH?"

"Oh, yes..." Ana said. "Yes, how are you?"

"I'm fine, thanks," she said. "And I'm calling because Mr. Grey asked me to check your schedule for this afternoon. He'd like to see you at four, if you're not scheduled to attend any meetings on your end."

Ana's schedule couldn't have been clearer...but she couldn't help but wonder why Christian suddenly needed to see her in the middle of the day. _Oh, dammit, Fifty, you can't fire Penelope,_ she thought.

"Great - you know the address?" Olivia asked.

"Yes, I do."

"Security will ring me from the lobby when you arrive. You'll need a pass, and we're on the 65th Floor."

"Perfect. I shall see you then."

"Thank you, Anastasia."


	44. Chapter 44

_**Chapter Forty-Four**_  
Oddly, that afternoon marked Ana's first trip through the lobby of Grey Enterprise Holdings, Inc., which was, in typical Christian Grey fashion, a work of modern art in itself, with a waterfall wall, eclectic paintings that Ana's classical tastes didn't seem to quite understand - even a wall of graffiti cut directly from a building. Every corner bustled with people coming and going, most of them dressed ever so casually in jeans, which was a far cry from the corporate, buttoned-up executives at Remington.

Security was tighter than Ana could have imagined, as she had to show her driver's license and pose for a picture for the temporary ID card they'd issued before heading toward the elevator that would take her straight up to the executive suite.

"Hi, I'm here to see Mr. Grey," Ana said as she stepped up to the reception desk in the brightly lit lounge. "Anastasia Steele."

As she waited, she surveyed her surroundings once more. Everything was white - the sofa and chairs, even the coffee table that was stacked so neatly with magazines that featured Christian's photo on their covers or stories on GEH within. While tempted to sit and peruse each one, she thought that might look just a bit obsessive. However, she couldn't help but muse that this was his home away from the penthouse, the halls he walked through every day. This was command central for the kingdom he'd built.

Olivia was a tiny woman with auburn curls and big brown eyes, and her greeting was quite warm as she gave Ana's hand a quick pump. "I'll show you back to Mr. Grey's office."

This environment at GEH was so drastically different from the office setting Ana had grown accustomed to. There were people in conference rooms, chatting in the aisles of cubes, hanging out in doorways. Everyone seemed to be busy yet enjoying themselves at the same time. She couldn't help but note that some days at Remington made her feel like she worked in a morgue - no one made a sound as they sat at their computers and stared at rolling spreadsheets for hours. In fact, she often thought that she and Jillian were the only two people on her floor aside from Elena who knew how to use a telephone.

Peeking around a doorframe, Olivia called out, "Christian, your four o'clock is here..."

He was seated with his back to his open door, gazing out the huge windows that filled an entire wall of his office, but spun around when he heard Olivia's voice.

"Liv, she's a little more than my four o'clock," Christian said, with a wry smile toward Ana. "This is Penelope..."

Covering her open mouth with her hands, Olivia, obviously drowning in her own chagrin, said, "Ana...! I should have known - I'm sorry. I should have put two and two together." She extended her hand once again. "It's nice to finally meet you. I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of you soon."

"No worries, Olivia," Ana assured, grinning over the fact that his admin actually knew about their relationship. But she was certain Olivia likely had to sign one of his NDAs, too.

"Christian, I'll just remind you that you have a conference call in fifteen minutes, then dinner this evening," Olivia said. "Do you need anything in the meanwhile?"

"No, Liv," he said. "I think we're all set here."

"Very well then..." Just as quickly as Olivia stepped out and closed the door, Christian turned the lock.

"Sit," he said, and gestured toward the chairs before his desk as he moved to take his own seat.

Slowly, Ana made her way over, smiling curiously as she minded those cloudy grey eyes. Yes, he did indeed have something in store for her that afternoon.

Again, Ana looked around, unable to fight her own fascination with this side of his life. His office was almost reminiscent of his bedroom, with dark woods contrasting against the hues of blue that accented the space. A dark Basquiat painting hung behind him. His tastes in art clearly reflected the tortured soul that hid beneath his steel exterior, confused, cluttered almost, and so very obtuse.

"You heard that, Anastasia. I have fifteen minutes to deal with you." Christian looked at his watch. "Now, make it fourteen."

"Uh-oh..." Ana said, shifted in her seat, the leather squeaking against her skirt as she moved. "I'm in trouble..."

"_Big_ trouble..." Folding his hands in front of him, he pushed back, but only so slightly in his chair. "To say that I'm pissed off right now is a gross understatement."

Without conscience for her own action, she sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. "I won't apologize because I know that makes you even angrier," she said, squirming again with her own anticipation. "Kind Sir..."

"There's going to be nothing kind about this, Miss Steele," he said. "But first, we need to discuss what exactly went wrong..."

Ana scowled as she scoured the surface of his desk with her eyes, imagining what he could possibly use to spank her. He could always roll up that copy of the _Times_ on his desk and swat her bottom. Or he might devise a creative use for that letter opener...

"You have done nothing but sass and misbehave for me _all day_, Anastasia," he said. "You cannot just run roughshod over this woman. I know you're angry, but pulling little childish pranks and throwing tantrums is not the way to fix things here. You need to take a deep breath, take a step back, and let my security team deal with this."

Releasing her lip, she pouted and folded her arms. "Yes, Sir..."

"She's dangerous," Christian reminded her. "And for now, I need you to remain calm and as quiet as you can be with her."

"I...Christian...it's just that I..." Ana stopped herself, fearful of what she might say. "I just...I care about you..._Sir_..."

His face softened for a only fleeting moment, but Ana was quick to notice the tenderness that peered through the anger in his eyes. "And I...I care about you, too, baby," he said. "That's exactly why we're here this afternoon. _Specifically_..."

"Yes, Sir?"

"I did not want you in the office this morning," he said. "I wanted to make her departure as quiet as possible - not that everyone won't be talking - but I didn't want to draw additional attention, Anastasia. And what did you do?"

"I...I caused a...scene..." she stammered.

"Back up, baby. _First,_ you tried to defy me by threatening to take the subway to work," he said. "_Then_ you caused a scene..."

That, Ana could admit, she did indeed do, but trying to convince Christian that she did it for him would be a losing battle. Kind Sir needed to return to the throne and wield his power.

"I did, Sir," Ana said. "I handled that poorly."

"Yes, you did, Miss Steele. _Very. Poorly_." Scooting back further, he propped his feet up on his desk and crossed his hands in his lap. "Now, it's time to face your punishment."

She dropped her head in shame. "Yes, Sir..."

"Stand up," he ordered. "Strip. Everything. And leave your shoes on."

"Christian!" Ana stared at the wall of windows behind him, convincing herself that everyone in the building across the street could see straight in. "I mean...Sir...?!"

"Excuse me, Miss Steele?" he said. "Don't make me get up here..."

With extreme hesitation, she touched her fingers to her top button on her blouse, wide blue eyes darting between Christian and the windows. While she knew her own imagination was running wild - and that there wasn't a chance that anyone in the building across the street would see her in the nude unless they had binoculars - she couldn't shake the thought from her mind.

"The door is locked, I should remind you, Miss Steele, and the room is sound-proofed," he said. "And you have about six minutes before my call..."

And with that uncomfortable anticipation that played into every scene always figured in her arousal. How she missed being at his mercy with all the tenderness he showered upon her over the weekend. Not that she didn't appreciate his affectionate side...but this darkest shade of Grey is what made Ana so ravenous for Christian. Yes, he was back in control, and she indulged in every second.

One button...two buttons...three. His personal line began to ring. Ana froze.

He paused for a beat as he reached for the phone. "Nobody's stopping you here..."

She continued to work her fingers. Blouse open, she sighed so deeply before tugging it from her shoulders and slipping it down her arms, cursing herself. Her nipples always gave her away, even through a lightly padded bra.

"Settle down, Roz, they're bluffing," Christian continued his conversation, his eyes never leaving Ana. "Listen, let me do all of the talking on this one, OK?"

Reaching behind herself, Ana unfastened the button to her skirt, struggled with the zipper, then let it drop to the floor. She was down to her panties and that damn bra that just seemed to feel a size too small at the moment.

Christian nodded toward her with absolute impatience in his eyes. "No, Roz, really, he's just playing a game here - and he knows that I know he's playing."

As her bra snapped apart, she shrugged her shoulders, allowing the straps to fall before she eased it away...then hooked her fingers into the waistband of her lacey white panties, and hoped that Karma wouldn't spite her for her deed that morning as she yanked them down her legs and over her shoes.

"Listen, I have one quick thing I need to do before the call, so I'll speak to you in a few..." He hung up the phone and pointed to the far end of the room which would keep Ana within direct line of his vision. "Now go stand in the corner."

_The corner_. Again, indignity and exhilaration turned and walked alongside Ana as she stepped toward his assigned destination. Much to Ana's relief, now only her bare ass was visible to any peeping Toms across the street.

"Now, Miss Steele, you will stand there until I'm finished with my call," Christian called to her from across the room. "And you're going to think about your punishment and what you did today that went so very wrong. Understand?

She planted her feet firmly into the plush, navy blue carpet. "Yes, Sir."

"And you may not come until when - and if - I decide you may." His phone rang again. "And so help me, _if you make a single noise while I'm on this call,_ Anastasia..." He picked up the receiver. "Hello, Grey here..."

Pursing her lips as she stared at the slate blue wall, Ana breathed through her nose, slow and steady, as quietly as she could muster with her diminishing control of her own self.

Now, in both punishment and in her own guilt, she regretted every move she made that morning. While Ana was still quite proud of her crowning moment over the weekend watching that Botox Bitch nearly drown in the Grey's pool, Christian was right - she was playing like a child, slamming that box on Elena's foot. Ana had simply lived in that moment, not thinking one bit about the fuel she was adding to the already burning wildfire. Her only hope left was simply that Elena would just fade into the background and eventually away...but Ana understood her vindictive nature all too well. They, as a couple, were far from seeing the end of Elena Lincoln.

"We could make that happen, however..." she could hear Christian's voice behind her, once again in command...expanding his domain.

All the while, as she continued to seethe over that woman and ponder her own faults, Ana was almost just as angry with Christian for his insistence that she step back. He still had trouble understanding her feelings for him - that her anxiety was so intense that she reacted without thought when any matter traced back Christian. Dragging Elena over hot coals before tossing her into a vat of acid wouldn't show her suffering enough as far as Ana was concerned.

Yet as with every punishment he issued, her inner-debates gave way to her own selfish desires. Just as he suggested, she did consider the events leading her into that corner. However, she was standing without a single stitch of clothing..._in his office_, not a covering on the windows, while he carried out business as usual.

"No, that's just not an option..." he continued on.

Ana had almost wished he'd just gagged her, as she desperately wanted to cry out - call his name. Her breasts were heavy, aching with need that fluttered down to her tummy and fanned further between her legs. She hoped his call would be a quick one - and that he planned to take her with haste. He was right - she was absolutely insatiable.

"Look, when we started this project, we all agreed that..."

Touching herself, which Ana in truth had never done before, wasn't even an option - he'd only punish her again...which could potentially carry this viscous cycle into infinity. He'd already intimated that she might have lost her orgasm privileges, which only made her long for him all the more.

All the while, she knew he was watching her ever so closely, minding every wiggle of her bare bottom, every shuffle of her shoes. That notion alone heightened her sense of arousal, leaving her trembling on weakened legs.

"No. Just not gonna happen..."

_Oh, Fifty, just hang up the damn phone and fuck me, please..._

Ana tried for a moment to squeeze her legs ever so tightly together, hoping to stave off the orgasm that threatened to claim her. However, she found that only exacerbated her troubles.

With every minute, the pain in her feet seemed to intensify. She so wanted to just kick off her heels, stretch out her legs...stroll across the floor and sit in his lap. However, she dismissed that idea, too. There simply were no options but the sentence he'd given her, and she had no choice but to stand and suffer the consequences.

"OK...let's regroup tomorrow - same time..."

_Thank you, Fifty!_ Ana thought as he began to wrap up his conversation at last. Yet she could only wonder if the real punishment were merely beginning.

The phone dropping into the cradle was the most pleasant sound she'd head that day, but before she had the chance to sigh with relief, she could hear him pecking away at his keyboard.

"Hope you've had enough time to think over there, Anastasia," he said.

"Yes, Sir - I have..."

She could hear the chair rolling back from his desk, the sound of his footsteps against the carpet. Then when she felt his presence, so very close behind but not near enough to touch her, she shivered.

"I need to make sure we're now clear on a few things, Anastasia," he said, giving her backside a quick slap. "Stand still while I'm speaking to you!"

"Yes...oh...yes, Sir."

"Are you going to behave at work from now on, Anastasia?" he questioned.

"Yes, Sir, I promise," she managed, "I'll be good at work."

"And what about Elena Lincoln?"

"I'll leave that to you, Sir..."

"Good girl..." He moved closer and flattened his hands against her belly, nudging her toward him so that she could feel him pressing against her bare bottom. "And what about your Master, Anastasia? You were so damn defiant with me today..."

"I shall obey...Sir..."

"Yes, you shall obey," he repeated. "It's the one responsibility you have, yet you can't seem to keep up your end of the bargain."

"Oh, Sir..." Ana writhed against him, "I'll try harder..."

"You always say that, yet here we are again," he taunted. "You know, I hate punishments just as much as you do. I'd much rather reward you and let you play with your toys - or permit you to choose how you'd like to scene for a night. Wouldn't that be lovely, Miss Steele?"

Just the thought of everything that filled her toy box nearly pushed her over the edge. Clamps. Restraints. All of those little vibrating things...

"Yes, Sir," she whimpered. "It would be...lovely..."

"Well, you're not permitted to play with your toys until you prove to me that you can behave. Grounded, if you will," he said, his hand smoothing over her hips and thighs before he slipped a finger between her legs. "And today, you're not even getting my cock, Anastasia."

"No, Sir," she moaned, moving immediately with each of his thrusts. "_Please..._"

"No - this is all you get today, Anastasia," he continued his torment. "You were such a bad girl."

"_Nooooo_..." she whimpered. "Sir..."

"Put your hands on the wall to brace yourself, Anastasia," he warned. "I don't want you falling here..."

So mindful now, in humility, she did just as he said and pressed her palms flat to each side of the corner. She was so very near, but his finger just wasn't enough...she needed more...so much more. Maybe he'd change his mind. Perhaps at the last second, he'd decide that he needed to have her.

"Come on, Anastasia, we don't have all day here..." Christian goaded, impatience rising as he hooked his arm around her waist to hold her. "I have a dinner with the folks at Remington this evening...time for you to come...you naughty,_ naughty_ girl..."

Those words were just enough to coax her into overdrive. With her release, she bucked so hard against his hand, trying to glean every single scrap of pleasure she could from the feel of just one single finger. The notion almost frightened her, thinking about just how much and how desperately she needed him. Yes, _this_ was his punishment for her - not the humiliation of having to stand in a corner in nothing but her high heels, but denying her the chance to have her fill of him so completely.

"That's it, baby, that's it..." he soothed at last, brushing his lips through her hair as he eased his hand away. "Now turn around, and lean against the wall..."

"Can I take my shoes off, please, Sir?" she whispered, shivering as the heated skin of her back touched the cold wall.

"You may take your shoes off now," he said, rubbing his hands over her shoulders and down her arms. "You cold, baby? Come here..."

Wrapped in the fold of Christian's arms, her cheek pressed so delicately against his chest, Ana began to relax at last.

"Ana, I really do hate to punish you," he said. "But the thought of what more Elena could do to you fills me with rage. And you must never pull a stunt like that with her again..."

Christian held his finger up to Ana's lips, and almost instinctively, she began to lick, cleaning away the evidence of what he'd just done to her. "Likewise, Christian," she murmured, her tongue lapping against his finger, his hand. "I loathe what she did to you..."

As she suckled and nipped, she thought she just might be heading toward arousal yet again. However, Christian clearly had no intentions to continue their play.

"I think I'm getting old and weathered here," he smiled at her. "I need to find some new ways to reprimand you. You seem to enjoy discipline far too much..."

"I have a good teacher, Kind Sir," she murmured and propped her chin against his chest so that she could look up at him.

"I wish I could spend tonight with you, baby," he said. "We won't have much time alone this week with you mother's visit, the holiday..."

A devilish grin swept across Ana's lips. "I could leave her with Kate for an evening..."

"You really did take your naughty pill this morning, didn't you?" he teased, his nose caressing the top of her head. "Anastasia, you have to spend time with her. Period. And that's an order."

"May I consider that my true punishment then for my poor behavior today?"

"No, Ana - she's family. And while she may annoy you at times, you're stuck with her," Christian said. "Take Elliot for example..."

"Christian Slater Grey..." She stood on her toes and stole a quick kiss. "You make me giggle sometimes..."

"Laughter is a good thing," he said. "Now listen, I need to clean you up before I send you back out into the world. I have a private bath in here..." He pointed toward a closed door that Ana had just assumed was a closet.

"Like...full bath? Shower and everything?"

He shrugged as if that were the norm to have a completely fitted bathroom in one's office. "Sometimes, I need to go from a meeting to an event...I don't have time to run home and change..."

"Wait...let me guess...the sofa pulls out to a bed, too, right?"

"Yeah, actually, it does," he said. "Proved quite useful during Hurricane Sandy when my apartment building lost power...but perhaps I should christen it with you one day..."

"Oh, Christian..." Ana laughed and shook her head. "Lead me to your private office master bath..."


	45. Chapter 45

_**Chapter Forty-Five**_

"Um, Sawyer?" Ana asked as he headed along the service road straight into LaGuardia Airport.

"Yes, Ana?"

She unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned toward the front seat. "Can you just...well...maybe it's best if you don't let on who employs you..."

Sawyer chuckled as he meandered through the ever-winding roads that led to the terminals. "You didn't tell her about you and Mr. Grey yet, did you?"

"Not exactly..."

"We could put a sign in the window - with the car number - like the car services do?"

"I don't think that's quite necessary." Ana couldn't help but giggle. "And I don't think she'd notice the difference..."

"Don't worry - I've got you covered," he assured. "What's your name again, lady? And you're heading back to Manhattan after pick-up?"

"You're the best..._sometimes_..." Ana teased. "Thanks, pal."

So perfectly timed was their trip that Ana spotted her mother just walking out the door, suitcase rolling behind her, at ground transportation as they pulled up to the curb. Drawing a deep breath into her lungs for courage, Ana scooted across the seat to hop out.

"Ana!" Carla opened her arms as her daughter approached. "How's my baby girl?"

Carla May Wilks was the older, mirror image of her daughter - petite, with big blue eyes and flowing chestnut hair. And that's exactly where all similarities between mother and daughter ended.

Perhaps because Ana witnessed her mother's own flighty behavior as she grew up, she felt such a strong need to maintain some stability in her own life. Always jumping from career to career, Carla had found herself in debt time after time...but funded her risky ventures with a new husband whenever she discovered a new opportunity. She'd experimented with real estate, opened a gift shop and even dabbled in art school at one point with the hopes of opening her own gallery. At present, Carla was forging ahead with her own marketing and events agency.

Carla often moved - that, too, depending on her current love interest - and provided an erratic childhood for Ana. Comfort, as a child, always came between the covers of whatever books Ana could get her hands on. In fact, she never had a room of her very own until she was fifteen and moved in with her first step-father, Raymond Steele, who gladly adopted Ana when she was still a toddler and kept all of his promises to her from that day forward. Making friends and establishing some sort of roots wasn't something that Ana learned how to do until she went to college. For her late development of basic social skills, Ana always blamed her mother.

"Look at you!" Carla took a step back, surveying Ana in her simple white dress with a thin black belt around her tiny waist. "All dressed up for work! That's a lovely dress, sweetie. Looks like you paid a pretty penny for it..."

"Thanks," Ana said somberly. "I wore it to graduation."

Her mother had indeed missed her college graduation with some lame excuse about shoulder pain. In addition to the ever-growing list of all of Carla's faults as a mother and wife, she was also a notorious hypochondriac. Ana, in fact, was actually a bit surprised that she made it all the way to New York and waited throughout the entire afternoon for that last-minute call to tell her that she simply couldn't travel at this time. Unfortunately, for Ana, she was feeling healthy that day.

However, it troubled Ana that her mother simply couldn't just pay her a compliment. There always had to be some mention of money involved.

"Ray insisted on making the day special for me," Ana added. "And he did."

Oblivious to her daughter's subtle attempt at sarcasm, Carla said, "Oh, he always did, Ana. He's so good to you. How's he doing, by the way?"

"Great - just talked to him last night," Ana said as she opened the car door for her mother.

It was rare to get Ray on the phone, but as the better parent, he deserved, Ana thought, to know about her relationship with Christian before Carla rolled into town. It wouldn't be the first - or the last - time that Ana would confide in Ray and make him promise not to say a word to Carla. And although he was surprised by Ana's revelation and a bit wary at the same time, threatening bodily harm to Christian if he even thought of breaking his little girl's heart, Ana chalked it up to the true soldier in Ray.

"_Really_?" Carla asked, as Sawyer stepped up to take her luggage and place it in the trunk. "You hired a limo? Oh, Ana, this is just...so _luxurious_...! Oh, I cannot wait to tell the girls back home...oh, my, this is..."

"Oh, it was nothing..." Ana said, unable to meet her mother's eyes. She simply had to tell Carla that night. There was no way around it. She could always just leave a few digits off Christian's net worth.

Small talk was the norm for Ana and Carla, and often Ana felt like she simply had nothing to say. That night she allowed her mother to control their conversation as they headed back to the apartment, answering all of her questions about the city and her new job as with as much civility as she could possibly muster. Ana learned early in life that the less she revealed to her mother, the better.

"Wow!" Carla said as Ana helped her through the revolving door of her building. "Kate's parents must have paid a bomb for this apartment! I can't wait to see it!"

"Well, the apartment is small," Ana explained, as they lugged Carla's bags into the elevator. "We don't need much room - and honestly, we're really never here..."

"You really aren't the little homebody you used to be in college any more, are you, honey?" Carla asked. "Seems you've always got somewhere to go - someone to see..."

"Yeah, well...we'll talk more over dinner, Mom," Ana said. "I promise I'll fill you in on everything. Now, ready to see our humble little abode?"

"Carla!" Kate couldn't get to the door with her arms wide open quick enough. "How are you? How was your flight? Traffic bad on the way in?"

"Kate Kavanagh, you still have a motor mouth!" Carla teased and returned Kate's hug, as she surveyed the apartment over her shoulder. "How are you?"

"Good!" Kate said, looking toward Ana. "All is going well for..._both of us_ here..."

"Boy, you weren't exaggerating, Ana,!" Carla said suddenly. "How do you two keep from tripping over each other in this place?"

"Bigger than the dorm room we shared Freshman year," Ana improvised. "Most apartments in New York are tiny, Mother."

"We have a lot of real estate and people to pack on one small island..." Kate added.

Really, all Ana wanted at that moment was some time away from Kate. Her mother always adored her roommate, mostly because she knew Kate came from a very wealthy family and that so impressed Carla. However, Ana didn't want to give her the chance to spot any animosity between them. She was angry with Kate for what she'd done over the weekend, but now was not the time to drop the first bomb of World War III.

"Here, mom, let me show you to my room, and you can unpack."

"Ana!" Carla exclaimed the second Ana opened the door, "this is as big as my closet!"

_Please make it stop!_ Ana thought to herself.

Now, Ana thought that maybe she should reconsider introducing her mother to the Greys. She cringed just imagining the conversations Carla might initiate, but at the same time, she did feel guilty. Ana had spent so much time with his family already - it was only fair that Christian meet Carla, too, regardless of how painful the day might be for all.

Ana just had to change the subject. "Speaking of closets," she began as she took a seat on the windowsill, "I left a few hangers for you. And I cleared out a space in the top drawer if you need to put anything away."

"Oh, you thought of everything, didn't you, baby girl?"

"Tried to, Mom," she said and pulled out her phone. She had to text Christian to let him know that all was as well as it could be in the world of Carla May. "I just need to check on something for work, Mom. Just do your thing, and then we'll go to dinner..."

_***Wish u could call in a bomb threat like last Friday and rescue me. Miss u. xx AS***_

"So do you often have to work in the evenings?" Carla asked.

"Every evening..." Ana said. "At least with my old boss. Not sure what the new one will bring..."

_***Did not call in bomb threat. Spend time with your mother, Penelope. Miss u 2. xx CG***_

"Ready, Ana?" Carla asked.

"Oh, sorry," Ana said, looking up from her phone. "Yes - I thought we'd go to the little French bistro on 79th Street. It's not far from here..."

Actually, Ana chose that spot not for the food or the ambiance, but for the price since she knew she'd likely be paying for the meal with the huge salary that her mother thought she was making...as an assistant...in the publishing industry. So often, Ana felt more like the parent with Carla than the child.

"Oooh, French!_ Mais oui, Mademoiselle_," Carla said and clapped her hands together.

_***May I safeword? We're heading from yellow into orange. xx AS***_

"Kate, we should be back in a couple of hours or so," Ana mentioned, heading for the door.

_***Only if she's spanking u. xx CG***_

"Wanna watch a movie later?" Kate asked. "I'll make some popcorn?"

"Oh, that would be fun - like a slumber party!" Carla said.

_***(Figuratively, yes.) RED! xx AS***_

The walk was a short one, and Sawyer stayed far enough behind so as not to set off any alarms with Carla. Ana almost felt like she should invite him along, just to buffer their dinner conversation.

Once seated, Carla had to do her usual check of the room, eyeing up the rather youngish waiters and musing over the decor of antique kitchen utensils, framed prints of old French advertisements and tiny bistro tables scattered about the wide-planked hardwood floors.

More than once, Ana had to redirect her attention to the menu. In fact, she had a very distinct plan for the evening. She would just have a glass of wine - or two - tell her mother about Christian, then finish up the meal as quickly as possible. Kate's suggestion of a movie was actually spot-on. At least Ana wouldn't have to talk to either one of them for two hours, and then she could beg tired and head to bed.

The first glass of Pinot Grigio went down well, and Ana was thankful that she ordered an entire bottle. Liquid courage was most needed.

"So what's been going on?" Carla asked. "Is work keeping you that busy?"

"That's a big part of it," Ana said, then took another sip from her glass. "But...well...I met someone..."

Shock and humor washed over Carla's face, and her mouth dropped to the table. Those were never words she expected to hear from her daughter's mouth - at least not at that time in Ana's life. In fact, Carla often wondered if her daughter had even had her first kiss yet.

"Ana...wow! I mean...that's _so wonderful_!" her mother said finally. "You know...I always thought you needed a man..."

"No, Mom, I actually don't _need_ a man," Ana said. "I can survive perfectly well on my own without one. He's just a fine complement to my new life."

"Well, no...that's not what I meant," Carla backpedaled. "Who is he? What's his name? What does he do for a living?"

Ana smiled, ignoring her mother's inquiry about how he made his pile as thoughts of her Fifty flooded her thoughts. Her handsome, confident Fifty, whose affections she couldn't resist...and whose shattered soul left her so completely gutted.

"His name is Christian...Christian Grey..."

"Christian Grey...why does that name sound familiar?" Carla wondered out loud. "Christian Grey..."

"Oh, he owns a couple of businesses," Ana attempted to keep her tone informal. "That sort of thing..."

"He owns businesses?" Carla's eyes widened. The dollar signs were evident to Ana in her mother's pupils. "Well, he must be rich then..."

"Mom. _Stop_. Please?" _So much for that courage,_ Ana thought. _Another bottle, barkeep!_ "That's no reason to date someone!"

"No, Ana, of course not..." Carla said. "So...it's serious? You wouldn't be telling me if...if it were just a casual thing, right? But you've only been here a month! When did you meet?"

"We actually met my second night here - Kate took me to some awful party, and...I sort of stumbled upon him," Ana explained. "And yeah...I guess it's pretty serious. We spent the weekend with his family..."

"OK, what's this 'guess' stuff?" Carla rolled her eyes. "Young men do not introduce you to their parents unless they have interests in you far beyond a one-night stand, Anastasia..."

Another half-glass down, Ana mused to herself that the waiter probably thought she was an alcoholic. Meanwhile, Carla had barely touched her first.

"Will I get to met him?" Carla asked.

"Well that's why I'm telling you all of this," Ana said. "We've been invited to a little Grey family outing on the fourth. On the Hudson River here..."

"That's wonderful, Ana!" Carla exclaimed. "So I'll meet his parents, too?"

"Yes - Grace and Carrick," Ana said, dreading the thought already. "And they're just as wonderful as their son..."

"He treats you well, Ana?"

"Why is it always about _that_, Mother?" Ana finally said. "You know, he goes beyond the norm with me. We actually _talk_ to each other - have conversations. Make each other laugh..."_ And cry sometimes, too, but even that's OK._

"Ana, that's not what I-" Now, Carla took a swig from her glass. "I'm _glad_ you have that in your relationship. I'm just saying..."

"Saying _what_, Mom?"

"I'm happy for you, baby girl," Carla said, refilling her glass without waiting for their server to pour. "I just want what's best for you. And I'm glad you're getting that from Christian."

"I am, Mother..." _That - and so much more_.

"And I'm glad you're introducing us," Carla continued. "I know this is a huge step on your part, so I appreciate that, Ana."

Little did her mother know that Ana was only agreeable to their holiday plans simply because of her own commitment to Christian. In a way, she felt as if she needed to warn him about Carla now - before their relationship progressed any further.

"What about his parents?" Carla pressed. "What do they do?"

Ana bit her own tongue to stop herself from losing her temper completely. "His mother's a pediatrician, and his father's a lawyer."

"Ahhh - he comes from a good family..." Carla lifted her glass to her lips and raised an eyebrow. "That's a bonus!"

"Mother, why does that..."

"Are you ready to order now, Miss?" the waiter interrupted as he lifted the near empty wine bottle from the table.

"Yes, please..." Ana said, almost with relief over the intrusion as she opened her menu. "But first...could we possibly have another bottle of wine?"

Perhaps - just maybe - if she drank enough, Ana could forget this entire evening ever happened.


	46. Chapter 46

_**AN: This is Part I of the Fourth of July...**_

_**Chapter Forty-Six**_  
Intentionally, Ana left the bathroom door ajar so that she could keep an ear on the conversation in the living room as she wound her long brown braid into a bun and dusted her face with a light coat of powder. She took a step back to look over the simple outfit she'd chosen - khaki crop pants and a bright pink t-shirt covered by a white cardigan, just in case it got a little chilly on the water. She looked far from perfect, but since she'd had only a couple of hours of sleep the previous night as she tossed and turned worrying about the coming day, it would simply have to do.

"So what are your plans for today, Kate?" Carla's voice carried into the bathroom.

"Oh, I don't know," Kate answered. "My parents are away - Greece, I think. So I'll just hang out here. Maybe grab a drink at the bar later, and see who's up for the fireworks..."

"No, Kate, you can't spend a holiday alone," Carla insisted. _"You'll come with us today..."_

Ana was certain that they could both hear the hairbrush slam against the sink after it had fallen from her hand. _Did my mother just invite my roommate to go boating with the Greys today?_

"Aw, no, Carla," Kate only half-protested. "_Really_?"

_Shit, shit, shit. And double-shit._

"Oh, sure!" Carla assured. "It'll be fun, and I'm sure one extra person won't..."

Ana's fingers couldn't race to her e-mail quick enough.

_**From: Anastasia Steele**_  
_**Subject: Houston, We Have A Problem...**_  
_**Date: July 4, 2013, 09:42**_  
_**To: Christian Grey**_

_Dearest, Kindest, Most Affectionate and Honorable Sweetest Sir:_

_Please note: __**I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS.**__Let me say that again. __**I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS.**_

_My mother just invited that roommate of mine to tag along today. WITH US. ON THE BOAT. WITH YOUR PARENTS._

_Would an un-invite be appropriate?_

_Please Advise,_  
_Penelope_  
_Anastasia Steele_

Retrieving her brush, Ana combed back the tiny tendrils of hair that fell upon her face, seething all the while at her mother's most ingenious solution to Kate's lack of holiday plans. Matricide suddenly made sense to her.

_**From: Christian Grey**_  
_**Subject: Since Debbie's Already Done Dallas...**_  
_**Date: July 4, 2013, 09:46**_  
_**To: Anastasia Steele**_

_My Sweet Penelope,_

_And Happy Fourth of July to you, too, baby._

_Why, that's actually the most amusing thing I've heard all week. You see, Mia and that brother of mine decided that they'll be joining us on aforementioned boat today._

_Fear not. Let's have some fun with this..._

_Yours, _  
_Dearest, Kindest, Most Affectionate and Honorable Sweetest Sir_  
_Christian Grey_  
_CEO, Grey Enterprise Holdings, Inc._

Fifty Shades of Festive had obviously returned for the day...but Ana still couldn't shake her own bothersome thoughts. Perhaps Carla thought she was doing a nice deed, but once again, her often dim-witted ways clouded her better judgment. Furthermore, Christian loathed being in the same city as Kate - let alone stuck on a boat with her all afternoon and evening. The possibilities seemed almost limitless for how this day could easily unravel.

"Oh, Ana, Kate didn't have a thing to do today, and she's going to go with us!" Carla announced the second Ana stepped into the living room.

"Great!" Ana feigned her excitement over the prospect. "Wonderful..."

"So..." Kate began, "who's going to be there today?"

Ana shrugged her shoulders and had a very sudden change of heart with her social climbing roommate's query. Christian was perhaps right yet again. This _could_ be fun. "Just Grace and Carrick, as far as I know."

Kate locked the door with a "Hummmph..." as Ana and her mother headed toward the elevator.

"Are we taking the subway?" Carla asked. "You know, I took it yesterday while you were at work, and I just got lost. I think I went north..."

"You went _uptown_ instead of _downtown_," Ana corrected - not that she knew much about the subway at all with Christian Grey in her life.

"Listen to you - sounding like a Native New Yorker already!" Kate teased. "How _are_ we getting there?"

"Um...Christian's arranged...transportation..."

"Happy Fourth, ladies," Jonathan called out from behind the desk when they reached the lobby.

"Oh, Happy Fourth to you, too, Jono!" Kate called out with a giddy smile and added a wiggle to her walk.

"What are you doing?" Ana whispered from the corner of her mouth. "Are you flirting with him?"

"He's kinda cute, with that ponytail and all," Kate said. "Plus, it's good to have a friend in the lobby. You know..."

No, Ana didn't know, and she wasn't sure she wanted to find out what exactly Kate meant either. That Jonathan just gave her a creepy vibe.

It was a gorgeous July morning - warm but surprisingly not too hot - and the perfect day for sailing. Ana actually was excited. She hadn't seen Christian since he punished her on Monday in his office, and she adored spending time with the Greys. Admittedly, she had to shake her attitude and fast. She couldn't ruin the entire day just because her mother had trampled over her last nerve.

"Ana..." Sawyer nodded.

Furrowing her over-plucked brows, Carla took a step back and looked at Sawyer. "Hey..." she said, "aren't you the same driver who...?"

"Mom, this is Sawyer," Ana said. "And yes, he works for Christian..."

"Sawyer takes her to work every morning..." Kate piped in.

"Kate...!"

"Really, Ana?" Carla said as she crawled into the car. "Why didn't you ever tell me that he...?"

Stuck in the middle between her mother and Kate in the backseat, Ana chose to ignore Carla's latest inquisition.

"So, how about those Yankees?" Ana asked. "Anyone? Sawyer?"

# # #

"Ana, when you said 'boat,' I thought you meant..." Carla stammered as they climbed out of the car at the Lower West Side pier overlooking the Hudson River. "This is a _yacht_!"

"Boat, yacht - they're all one in the same, aren't they?" Ana muttered, trying to close her eyes to her mother's ways for just a little while.

"Oh, I knew it would just be fabulous," Kate said, while they strolled along, nearing the boat. Christian was waiting on deck with a boyish smile on his lips as they approached. He loved to play just as hard as he worked. "Those Greys can't seem to do anything on a small scale."

"Baby, I missed you," Christian murmured, kissing Ana as he helped her on board The Grace.

She knew for certain that she was blushing...and she was also willing to make a bet that her mother watched every second of that kiss from behind.

"And you must be Mrs. Wilks," Christian extended his hand. "It's so nice to meet you...Christian Grey..."

"No, it's Carla," she giggled, flustered. Christian did have a tendency to enthrall. "Please...Carla..."

"Carla, welcome aboard," he said. "You're just as lovely as your daughter."

_Layer it on, Sir Charming,_ Ana laughed to herself. Carla was going to love him - absolutely adore him. She just hoped that Christian and his family would be kind in their assessment of her mother.

"Why, Christian...I...that's so sweet...and thank you..."

"Oh, and _you_..." Christian nodded toward Kate, then moved along the deck with Ana's hand in his. "Baby, you haven't even had the tour yet," Christian noted, then turned to Ana, grey eyes narrowing suddenly with concern. "Ana, are you alright?"

"Yeah..." she said, clutching the deck rail with one hand and Christian's fingers with the other. "Just getting my sea legs..."

The yacht certainly was a grand one, all ninety-eight feet of vessel manufactured by Princess. Sleeping eight, The Grace boasted a covered outdoor lounge, living room, dining room, galley kitchen and four bedrooms, each with private bath. Indoors, the rooms featured panoramic windows that seemed to bring the sea inside the luxuriously appointed cabins that were decorated in dark woods and crisp white leather furniture with touches of taupe, brown and ivory linens.

Yet, Ana couldn't appreciate a single second of the tour. She felt as if she were sinking...and sinking fast.

"So, Christian," Carla began, "you sail?"

"I do, but I've hired a crew for today so that I can just play..." He stopped suddenly, irritation rising slightly with Carla over the fact that she seemed more concerned with the boat than her own daughter. "Ana, are you going to be sick?"

"Huh-uh..." she managed. "Keep going..."

"Well, if it isn't Christian Slater Grey and Penelope Lynn..." Elliot's booming voice thundered across the deck as he strode along without a care in the world...until he spotted Kate.

"Elliot..." Kate beamed. "Didn't think you were coming..."

"Um...I _won't_ be today, thanks..." he said and reached out to take Carla's hand. "And you must be Anastasia the Great's mother...I'm Elliot - the Good Grey Brother..."

"Elliot, nice to meet you...it's Carla," she returned.

"You're going to throw up..." Christian's voice was fraught with panic.

"No...I'm...where's the bathroom...?"

"Down the steps, make a left," Christian called out as Ana took off. "I'm right behind you..."

"What in heaven's name is going on here?" Grace said, as she stepped into the conversation with Mia and Carrick at her sides. "Carla?" Grace planted a kiss on her cheek. "Grace, Carrick, Mia...and Elliot...it's so lovely to meet you..."

"You, too, Grace..."

"Ana's ill?" Grace asked.

"Seasick," Kate answered.

"Oh, poor dear," Grace said, her face full of concern. "She doesn't do well on the water?"

"Well, she did throw up in her dad's little fishing boat once when she was seven," Carla said, "but I thought she'd be over that by now..."

"You know, I have some Dramamine," Grace said.

"Dr. Grey saves the day again," Carrick said.

"Wait!" Elliot stomped after his mother as she headed down the stairs to find Christian and Ana. "You can't leave me here, Mommy!"

# # #

"Oh, I am so sorry..." Ana managed, still coughing as she sat on the cold, brown marbled tiles of the stateroom's master bath with her head hanging directly over the toilet bowl. "I didn't...oh, yuck..."

"Shhh, baby..." Christian sat directly behind her with his legs wrapped around hers, as he rubbed her back. "Don't apologize..."

Ana was so very thankful that she'd at least pinned her hair up that morning. "Did I get you?" her voice echoed against the porcelain. She just couldn't lift her head. How she hoped she hadn't thrown up on Christian!

"No," he kissed her bare neck so chastely, "but I'm tough, baby. I can take a little vomit now and then."

"Christian...?" Grace called out as she wandered through the guest rooms.

"Lil bro, did your girlfriend hurl on you?" Elliot taunted.

"Elliot Grey, will you behave yourself for once?" Grace admonished. "Sorry, Carla. He's like this all the time...unfortunately..."

"Come here, baby..." Christian pulled Ana close and covered her forehead with a cool washcloth as she wrapped her arms around him, clinging to him for strength. "Wanna lie down in the bedroom for a bit? I can help you up..."

Ana shook her head. Moving wasn't an option at that moment.

"OK, we'll just stay here for now..."

"Aww, they look so cute!" Elliot said, following the mothers into the huge bathroom to check on Ana. "Just look at them..."

Sharply, Grace turned and pointed a finger at her oldest son. "Go! Upstairs - now! She's sick..."

"No, Mommy, don't make me go up there...please?"

"Then shut up, and behave yourself!"

All the while, Carla continued to snicker.

"Ana, dear, do you want some Dramamine?" Grace's voice soothed.

"That stuff is supposed to make you hallucinate, Mother!" Christian accused.

"Not in small doses," Grace insisted.

"Ana, honey, what do you need?" Carla asked. "What can we get you?"

"Elliot, please, go get her some juice or water," Grace ordered. "There's a small fridge in the bedroom..."

"Oh, alright," he said, and turned for the door. "Just because it's for Penelope..."

Bending down beside her son, Grace cradled Ana's pale face in her hands. While she was certainly embarrassed, Ana couldn't have asked for better care from anyone other than Christian and Grace. When Elliot returned with a bottle of Evian, Grace held both the pill and the water up to Ana's lips.

All the while, however, it troubled Ana that her own mother wasn't down on the floor with her, checking to make sure she'd be OK. Typical Carla simply stood in the background, allowing everyone else to make sure that her daughter would recover.

"We're not sailing until Ana's feeling better - if at all," Christian said.

"Fine - be that way," Elliot muttered.

"Think you have it covered?" Grace asked Christian.

"I think I can handle it," Christian smiled.

As Grace moved to stand, Ana reached out and tapped her fingers to her arm. "Thank you..."

"Oh, I didn't do anything, sweetheart," Grace said with a wink. "You're in great hands here, though."

"All good, Ana, honey?" Carla asked. Ana could sense that she was chomping at the bit to see the rest of the boat.

"She'll be fine," Christian took it upon himself to answer for her. "Go ahead upstairs to the deck. We'll be up in a bit..."

Once the door closed, Ana groaned and turned in Christian's arms, burying her face between his neck and shoulder. She could have easily just spent the day there - on that bathroom floor - alone with him. No Carla. No Kate. Just the serenity of alone time with Christian.

"I never thought I'd get sick," Ana bemoaned. "I ruined the day for everyone..."

"The day," he kissed the top of her head, "is still young. And you've ruined nothing."

"Thank you for taking care of me," Ana whispered, tracing her finger over his cheek. "Again..."

"Ana...I..."

He drew in a breath and held it for a single second, and Ana held her own as she watched his lips curve into a smile then twitch slightly as if he had something more to say. Color slowly returned to her face, and she waited so very patiently...

"It's my pleasure taking care of you, baby..."

With a smirk, Ana whispered, "Oh, my Fifty..."

"Oh, my Fifty, _what_?" his eyes teased, sparkling almost with flecks of blue peeking through the grey. "Let me help you off this damn floor, Ana, and let's go enjoy the rest of this party."

_Change the subject, Mr. Grey_, Ana thought,_ but I know where your mind was heading._


	47. Chapter 47

_**Chapter Forty-Seven**_  
"Oh, you know...parties...corporate functions...publicity..."

From her position at the top of the stairs, with Christian right behind her, Ana could hear her mother's voice loud and clear, discussing her latest career move with Carrick and Grace. Ana thought she just might throw up again, but not from the steady rock and roll of the boat.

So engrossed in her own conversation, Carla didn't notice that Ana and Christian had returned to the deck. Ana was always the afterthought of Carla May Wilks' life, and while so often painful for her to realize, that was a fact that Ana had been forced to accept long ago.

Curiously, though, Mia seemed to be engaged in a deep conversation with Kate on the opposite end of the outdoor lounge, chatting in hushed whispers, their hands flailing wildly with their discussion. She wished she could crawl into Kate's brain for just five minutes to uncover the roots to her fascination of all things Grey. Initially, she thought she could handle the mini-war between her roommate and Christian. In fact, Ana swore to herself that things would likely just blow over between them. However, her acquirement of an invitation to Grace's party - then her further attempt to seduce Elliot - continued to leave Ana feeling so cold.

Looking at Kate now, Ana wondered what had happened to the best friend she used to know. Perhaps Ana couldn't yet admit just how drastically their lives had changed in a matter of a month. Traditionally, Kate had been the center of all attention, and she lapped up every second - whether it was a by-lined article or a lead in one of the campus plays. Ana always stood in the background, cheering her on and offering congratulations while her own milestones always seemed to pale by comparison - or at least by Kate's standards.

Now that Ana had landed a job and finally started dating, the tables had turned. She'd always just assumed that Kate would be supportive, rather than taking on a competitive spirit and trying to insert herself into the Grey family as well. And while she missed the friend she used to know, Ana had begun to seriously wonder if her relationship could possibly sustain the wounds Kate had inflicted upon it.

"Penny for your thoughts, baby..." Christian murmured against her ear.

"Really, little bro?" Elliot charged. "That's all you can afford? You are such a cheap boyfriend! Dump his ass, Penelope - find a _real man_!"

Startled by the bantering Brothers Grey, Ana shook her head and chuckled. Elliot saved her yet again from her own creeping thoughts.

"Hey, Babycakes," Elliot said suddenly, "now that you're feeling better...why the hell did you bring Evil Red Riding Hood with you?"

"Blame Carla for that," she whispered.

"I think I could blame Carla for quite a few things today," Christian said, eyes darting toward Elliot, "but one of us needs to rescue Mia immediately from Evil Red's clutches..."

"You know, I think this would be a great time for a nap!" Elliot said. "In fact...I think I'm going to go take advantage of the master stateroom."

While Elliot tore thunderously down the narrow staircase through which his colossal frame barely fit, Christian shot Ana a knowing look. "Well, Penelope..." Christian said. "I think it's time we amused ourselves today..."

Mouth opening wide in surprise, Ana warned, "We're not playing..."

"Anastasia..." he scolded. "That's not the kind of diversion I had in mind."

"Sorry, Kind Sir," she said. "What were you thinking?"

"Follow me..."

While her equilibrium had indeed restored, Ana couldn't resist wrapping her arm around Christian's waist for support. There was a time, not too long ago, that she wouldn't have dared such intimacy with him. However, those walls seemed to crumble a bit more with each passing day, allowing Ana to indulge in his affections.

Ana knew immediately what Christian had in mind as he led her over toward Mia and Kate. He was about to kill two birds with one stone.

"Oh, Ana," Kate said. "You feeling better? Sit down..."

"Quite a bit, actually," Ana said.

"We should actually be sailing soon," Christian said. "Surprised Elliot isn't with the crew. He's like a kid when it comes to this stuff."

"Yeah, he seems to keep disappearing today," Mia said.

All the while, Ana tried to hide her smile. She couldn't help but notice that Kate's ears seemed to perk when Christian uttered his brother's name.

"Oh, he's taking a nap right now," Christian offered readily. "**_Downstairs in the master stateroom_**."

"I thought Mom was gonna kill him earlier," Mia said. "I guess he was picking on poor Ana here while she was...sick..."

Squeezing Christian just a little closer, Ana said, "I think your other brother is more than capable of protecting me..."

Kate stood up rather suddenly and stretched as she feigned a yawn. "You know...I think I'm going to head to the bathroom, then take a stroll around..."

_Oh, she was quick!_ Ana thought, laughing over the fact that Kate had no idea that she and Christian both knew the truth about her Saturday night 'activities' with Elliot.

"Oh, I'll come with you..." Mia offered.

"How about I come get you on my way back around?" Kate countered. Ana knew she had absolutely no intentions of returning for Mia -her only goal was to find Elliot in the bedroom, and Christian so artfully sent her directly to his brother's lair. "See you guys in a bit..."

Christian actually began to chortle before Kate was even out of earshot. "Oh, Elliot, payback is such a bitch - sometimes literally..."

Mia shot her older brother a quizzical look. "Wanna fill me in here?"

"No, little sister, I do not," he said. "But I will say that I don't want you hanging around her - ever again."

"She's Ana's roommate!" Mia protested. "Come on!"

"I don't want Ana around her either." Just then, Christian's phone alerted him to a new text from Elliot. "Let's just say she's not to be trusted..." Scrolling through, he laughed, then passed the phone to Ana.

_***U R DEAD CHRISTIAN SLATER GREY!***_

"Told you we could have some fun today, Penelope..."

"Indeed you did, Mr. Grey..."

"Oh, will _someone_ tell me what's going on here?"

"When you're older, Mia..."

"Ana and I are the _same age_..." Mia pointed out. "Wait a minute here...this is starting to make sense...Kate and Elliot...?"

Christian put his hand up, as if to try to silence her. "Don't say it, Mia."

"She's Elliot's infamous Saturday hookup, isn't she?" Mia asked anyway. "No wonder she was asking so many questions about him..."

"Maybe..." Christian said so very lightly.

"So then why did you send her downstairs?" Mia asked.

"Mia," Christian put his arm around his little sister, "do you remember when he dared me to stick my finger in that lamp socket...when there was no bulb in it...but it was still plugged in?"

Mia had to fold her lips together to stop herself from laughing, while Ana looked on in horror.

"Or how about the time Dad found _his_ cigarettes, and Elliot said they were _mine_?"

"All the times he put pepper in my pillowcases...dropped my birthday cake off the terrace...set fire to my GI Joe..." With a simulated air of drama, Christian covered his heart. "I loved Joe...and that bastard took him away from me. I can still smell the plastic burning..."

Both Ana and Mia had doubled over in a fit of giggles as Christian recounted the horrors of his youth at Elliot Grey's hands.

"See what you missed as an only child, baby?" Christian teased Ana. "For all of that - and more - he deserves to be hunted by that blood-sucking thing that calls herself a reporter for the afternoon."

Thus, a chase did indeed ensure with Kate attempting to track Elliot's every move throughout the day and into the early evening. Unbeknown to the parents on board, the newly formed triumvirate of Christian, Ana and Mia silently minded Kate's every move as she tracked Elliot from the top deck to the engine room and on to the crew's quarters, cackling quietly as he maneuvered himself so stealthily from her advances.

With Ana feeling better, Christian relaxed again, but that didn't stop his show of affection for her. There were tender caresses, stolen kisses, even a swat or two on her bottom when no one else was looking. Ana almost wished that it was just the two of them - alone on board - to prank and play with each other until the fireworks began.

Carrick actually took to the grill on board to fry up the burgers and roast the hot dogs, all the while teasing his sons that they just weren't real men until they both learned the art of barbecuing. Only Carrick and Grace could ever get away with bruising the all-powerful egos of their two sons.

During dinner, Christian made certain that Elliot had the most uncomfortable seat at the table - right next to Kate - and all the while, he kept his own hand on Ana's knee, squeezing each time Elliot winced or squirmed, and carried on entertaining everyone else with a lively conversation on his own sailing adventures and mishaps.

Ana reveled in the simultaneous play of both the Darker and Lighter Shades of Grey: When he was good, he was very, _very good_...and when he was bad, he was so completely horrid.

When the meal wrapped up at last, Carrick and his boys retreated to the upper deck for a cigar break. Ana knew Christian wasn't fond of any sort of smoking in the least, but it seemed to be a social pleasure that his brother and father seemed to enjoy, so he simply played tag-a-long.

Still hesitant to stand too close to the railing, Ana sat back in the lounge, alone, while the rest of the women stood at the bow, watching the dusky city skyline pass by as the yacht cruised on toward midtown to find the perfect spot in the water to watch the fireworks over the river.

When Ana, lost again in her own thoughts, felt the small hand close around her shoulder, she sat up with a start, expecting to find Kate beside her.

"So...you're...feeling better now, honey?" Carla asked and hesitantly sat down next to Ana. These moments between them were always so very awkward, as neither mother nor daughter ever really had much to say to each other.

"I am, Mom," Ana said.

"That young man of yours seemed quite concerned," Carla noted. "He really stepped up to the plate with you today..."

"I told you, Mom," Ana began, "he always does."

"Well, I have to admit, Ana...I..." Carla stopped as if she didn't want to reveal her own thoughts and feelings. "I like him...but I've always been worried about the day you brought home your first..."

"What do you mean my 'first'?" Ana sat back, her brows furrowing with annoyance.

"Well, he's the first guy you've ever...seemed to take a serious interest in," Carla explained. "He's smart. Funny. Certainly wealthy. But your first never sticks around forever, honey..."

Tears stung in Ana's eyes. She couldn't believe her mother's audacity. Perhaps it was a stab at Ana's own inexperience, or maybe Carla simply doomed the relationship before it even had a chance to fully blossom, but Ana fought hard to control her own fury.

Although her mother's biting warning was likely Carla's miscommunication of her own concern, Ana couldn't disregard her own emotions. Resentment had been building within her conscience for far too long.

"Ana, I just don't want you to set yourself up for a huge heartache," Carla insisted. "I've been down that road before..."

"Many times, Mother," Ana said softly. "Many times..."

"Oh, here I go again," Carla said, smacking herself in the head. "I didn't mean to upset you. I think he's a fine guy - and he certainly does seem to have it all..."

Now - with Grace, Mia and Kate within earshot - wasn't the time to bite back at her mother, but Ana simply couldn't allow this conversation to drop so easily.

"Honey, just be careful with guys like him," Carla cautioned. "They're heartbreakers...take what you can get now, but in the long run-"

"No, Mother, you just don't get it, do you?" Ana cut her off and shook her head in despair.

"Don't get what, honey?"

"My heart's already been broken," Ana finally said. "No man could ever possibly do more damage to my emotions than **_you've_** already done..."

Just as calmly and quietly as Ana managed to keep their conversation, she stood up and walked away, while Carla called out her name in the fading shadows of daylight. However, this time, Ana wasn't about to cry. She'd shed enough tears over her so very broken relationship with her mother, and she wasn't about to allow one more to fall.

Stunned and shocked by her own admittance, she tried so very hard to muster guilt over the words she'd just spat to her mother. However, when she dug so very deeply to the core of her feelings, all she found was a hollow hole, waiting to be filled by a mother she'd never truly had.

Flopping down in a deck chair on the opposite end of the boat, Ana pulled her sweater sleeves down and hugged herself. There was no point in making excuses for her mother anymore. Carla simply cared more about herself than anyone, which was her ultimate downfall with Ray. An opportunist angling at every corner, Carla was incapable of seeing beyond her own selfish needs, and now, she just assumed that her daughter had inherited her own mutated gene for self-demise.

Ana knew that their relationship just couldn't survive with any attempt to make it a traditional one. There was no point in even endeavoring to make repairs. With this new stage in her life, she had to keep Carla at arm's length for her own sanity and for her own protection. She couldn't allow her mother to fill her mind with unwarranted advice and worries.

Once again, Anastasia Steele's world as she once knew it had shifted with her own realizations - first with Kate, now with Carla. Housecleaning had never been her intention, but she now understood that she needed to take a few steps back and evaluate her relationships. So fed up with the backhanded compliments, subtle insults and wheedling ways of both of them, Ana knew she had to make some drastic changes. Removing them from her life could be a mistake, but she just couldn't carry on with a steady dose of either her mother or her supposed best friend. Adjustments needed to be made - and fast. Perhaps, Ana laughed to herself, Carla could just adopt Kate.

"What's the prettiest lady in the world doing on _my_ boat here?" His lips brushed against the top of her hair, his breath tickling her scalp. "May I join you, baby?"

Smiling suddenly, and almost losing the thoughts of her own troubles with his presence, Ana stretched to reach behind herself and wrapped her arms around Christian's waist for a moment before she scooted forward on the chair so that he could sit behind her. "Always..." she whispered.

"I've just set a new hard limit with you," Christian murmured as he began to kiss every inch of her neck. "You're not allowed to wear your hair up like this anymore - too tempting..."

"Mmmm..." Ana hummed.

"And you're very distracted right now, baby," he observed. "Kate, Carla - or a little bit of both?"

"My mother," she said, hoping he wouldn't want to discuss it further. "I just needed some time away from her."

"Don't worry, Ana," he whispered in her ear, "no one on Team Grey thinks you're anything like her..."

"Ugh!" she groaned. "What did your father have to say?"

"Not much," Christian said, "which is revealing in itself."

"Two days have been too much of her..."

"Well, she'll be going home in the morning, and Sawyer will drop her at the airport," Christian said. "Maybe we'll be lucky and we won't see her until our first child is born..."

Whipping her head around to face him, she blinked her eyes in rapid fashion. "**_What_**?"

He couldn't hide his own amusement over her shock. "I'm _kidding_, Anastasia..."

However, Ana wasn't quite sure what part of that statement was the joke. At the moment, she just wished he'd say those damn three words that every girl wanted to hear, rather than hinting around to his possible future enslavement of her womb.

"I snapped at her, Christian," Ana confided. "I said something horrible."

"Cool down, and then talk to her later when you get home," he said. "There's no point in arguing right now."

"I don't think there's room for any discussion," Ana said. "I'm sure she's probably disowned me at some point in the last twenty minutes that I've been gone..."

"I doubt it's that bad, baby, but just put it out of your thoughts for a few," he encouraged her. "Besides, the fireworks should be starting soon, and we can't see them from this side of the boat."

"You're going to make me face her, aren't you?"

"Get up, baby," he groaned. "I'll protect you..."

Everyone was lined up at the bow, waiting for the show to begin. Carla seemed quite absorbed in conversation with Grace and Carrick, little to Ana's relief, while Mia seemed to be purposely intruding on Kate's final mission to tempt Elliot.

"The ever disappearing couple," Carrick said. "Get over here - they're firing up the barges..."

"Ana's still a little wobbly." Even in the dark, she could sense Christian's knowing smile. "We're going to stay back a little."

"Thanks, lil bro," Elliot said. "Don't want Babycakes vomming all over me this time around!"

Ana's first fireworks display in New York did not disappoint. From the first thundering booms to the sparkles that lit up the entire sky above them, she couldn't help but to regress back to childhood for just a few moments, enraptured by pyrotechnic beauty overhead.

"Now, everybody has to scream, 'Ooooh...' and 'Ahhhh...'" Elliot bellowed over the noise. They were so very close to the display that the smoke from the launch pads on the Hudson clouded the air.

"_Oooh..._" Christian whispered in Ana's ear as he pulled her close and prodded her ever so gently with his ever present erection.

"_Ahhh..._" Ana murmured, pushing back with her bottom.

"And the fam just thinks we're back here in our little corner enjoying the fireworks."

"The fireworks in your pants, Mr. Grey..."

"Fair point," he said, lips returning to her neck, "so very well made, Miss Steele."

"Someone's horny this evening," Ana noted.

Christian couldn't help but to laugh. Ana was still rather shy about articulating her sexual needs, and her unexpected bawdy observations left him reeling for so much more. "It's been four and a half days since I've been inside you, baby," he spoke directly into her ear. "You're spending the weekend at my place - and most of it in my bed. Pack a bag tomorrow. Bring it to work with you. Your boss is going to take a summer Friday..."

There was something so very simply special about that moment for her. The day's events seemed to evaporate from memory, and nothing seemed to matter but their closeness and the blazing spectacle above the city. It was almost as if they were alone on the boat, so locked in their own little world were Christian and Ana. No Kate. No Carla. No Elliot, even, to stray their thoughts from anything but each other.

Sadness crept over Ana as the grand display's finale came to an end. She didn't want to leave Christian - wanted nothing more than to just spend the night in his bed, sleeping beside him. However, reality settled in fast as the deck lights came up, and their little party began to disperse.

While Kate bade a very awkward good-bye to Mia and Elliot, Carla thanked the Greys for their collective hospitality. And so very discretely as everyone else engaged in civil parting conversations, Christian stole one lingering kiss from Ana.

"Christian, it was such a wonderful day," Carla interrupted without a trace of humility, opening her arms to give him a quick hug. "I really enjoyed myself."

Ever so polite, he managed a smile that seemed genuine and said, "I'm glad, Carla."

"Time to get my little girl home now," Carla said, and pulled Ana close, never realizing that Ana would actually confide their earlier argument to Christian. "I have an early flight, and Ana's a working girl now!"

"Go ahead to the car, Mother," Ana said curtly. "Kate can walk with you. I just want to say my farewells..."

"Christian, it was great, again," Carla said, and released her grip on Ana as she stepped away to haul away Kate.

"See, baby, that wasn't so bad," he said and tapped a finger to her nose. "As for you - tomorrow afternoon..."

"You really don't expect me to get any sleep tonight - or any work done tomorrow, for that matter - do you, Kind Sir?" her blue eyes teased.

"Welcome to my world, Anastasia," he said. "I think about you all day and still keep a tight reign over my Empire. It's all about multi-tasking..."

"Christian, thank you for being so wonderful again today," Ana said and decidedly pressed her palms against his chest. He didn't flinch - didn't even waver at her touch - and she smiled into his eyes, relief overtaking her otherwise heady gaze. "I know I wasn't exactly the best guest today..."

"You're always my favorite guest, Ana," he said, claiming her lips without a thought or care as to whom might be watching.

"Seriously?" Elliot's voice interrupted their moment, "there is nothing grosser than seeing _my little baby brother_ kiss a _girl_!"

Drawing back just ever so slightly from Ana, Christian said, "OK, El, do you really want me to remind you of what my eyes have seen? Specifically,_ last Saturday night_?"

"I'll get you both back for today - that's a promise," Elliot said, his eyes playful as he leaned in to give Ana a quick hug. "Good seeing you, Babycakes. Just don't bring your skanky friend next time, K?"

"Always a pleasure, Elliot," Ana said. And she meant it. He kept her so amused.

"Ana, dear, don't be a stranger," Grace said, brushing her lips quickly to Ana's cheek while Carrick squeezed her shoulder.

"And we need a girls' day soon!" Mia insisted.

"OK, Greys, I need to hustle her home here - she's got a job to do tomorrow!" Christian said, sweeping Ana away as she waved one last good-bye. As chilly as her own mother had left her feeling that night, the Greys were a wonderful warm substitute.

"You're walking me to the car?" Ana asked as he helped her down to the dock from the deck.

"Ana, would I ever let you walk alone in the dark?"

She giggled. "Never..."

Sawyer was quick to open the door for Ana, but Christian eased him out of the way and leaned in to fasten her seatbelt. "Buckle up, baby," he said, then turned to Carla and Kate in the backseat. "Night, ladies..."

"I'll see you in a few," Ana murmured.

He kissed his finger then placed it to her lips, again without regard for her mother and Kate. Ana made affection far too easy for him to indulge.

"Tomorrow, baby..."


	48. Chapter 48

_**Chapter Forty-Eight**_  
Ana was sitting on the corner of her bed, re-reading an e-mail from Christian sent the night before, when she heard the timid knock on her door early that following morning.

"Honey, it's just me," Carla said, poking her head inside. "Can I come in for a minute?"

Ana nodded, "Sure..." She closed her e-mail. In truth, she really didn't think that Carla at least deserved her undivided attention even if just for a few minutes. Further, Ana really had nothing to say. "Sawyer's going to drop me at work, then he'll return to take you to the airport..."

"That's really nice of Christian to offer," Carla said and hesitantly sat down next to her daughter.

"That's just how he is, Mother," Ana said. "He makes sure that everyone else is taken care of before himself..."

"Ana, look..." Carla took Ana's chilly hand in hers, "I'm sorry about last night. That all just came out wrong. And I didn't mean to ruin your entire day."

_Don't take that much credit, Carla_, Ana thought. "Actually, it didn't ruin anything at all," Ana said instead.

"The Greys are lovely people, too," Carla continued. "And they seem to really have a liking for you, too. That's important..."

"They're quite amazing," Ana agreed.

"I didn't realize that Christian, Elliot and Mia were all adopted - that says a lot about Grace and Carrick," Carla said. "And I had no idea about the party last weekend. You didn't say a word..."

"Well, I thought I should tell you about Christian in person - when you were here," Ana explained. _And I thought that you probably just wouldn't believe me or even care..._

"Guess I missed seeing my baby all dressed up for the ball," Carla's voice hinted with regret.

"Not the first major event you've missed." The words fell haplessly from Ana's tongue, but just as with her honest revelation the night before, she had no intentions of taking them back.

"I know - your graduation..." Carla shrugged. "That was unavoidable."

"Listen, I don't mean to cut this short," Ana said suddenly, "but I really do need to get to work..."

"Of course, you do," Carla said. "But listen...I'd like for you and Christian to come for a visit sometime - sometime _soon_? I'm sure Bob would love to meet him, too..."

Bob likely wouldn't be around by the time Ana got around to making that visit to her mother. If she traveled to see anyone, in truth, it would be Ray. Ana missed him now more than ever.

"Not sure how soon that's gong to be, Mother," Ana said.

"Are we OK, Ana?" Carla clutched Ana's forearms as if she were holding on for dear life. "We're fine, right?"

Sometimes being agreeable was just easier than dragging out an argument, but more often, silence spoke louder than words. Ana simply couldn't give Carla the answer she so desperately wanted to hear.

Carla folded her arms around Ana, holding her so very close. But for the first time ever, Ana just couldn't hug her back.

"I love you, honey...and I'll talk to you very soon..."

"I need to head to work," Ana said, pulling back. "Sawyer should return in about forty-five minutes or so."

"We're OK," Carla said, likely to convince herself more so than her daughter. "And I'll see you and Christian in the very near future..."

Time had run out for Carla Wilks to attempt to stitch together the shreds of her tattered relationship with her only child. In Ana's eyes, the damage was already too disastrous to even attempt rebuilding.

# # #

That morning was tediously long for Ana. While she couldn't quite shake her angst over her non-argument with her mother, she fought her curiosities over her new boss' arrival on Monday morning, intermingled with fantasies about what Christian had planned for them that weekend. Perhaps, she thought, Jillian's return would add a modicum of normalcy back in her life.

In truth, Jillian was - the Greys aside - the only person in New York in whom Ana felt she could trust. While she remained cautious of every conversation they shared, mostly out of concern for Christian, Ana really hoped that their work relationship would blossom into a true friendship. They were both, after all, just small town girls, giving it a go in the big city, and Jillian seemed to understand her on a level far beyond what Kate ever knew. It could have been so easy for Jillian to gossip. She knew about Ana's connection to Christian from the beginning when he met them both in the lobby at Remington, and although Ana never revealed the intimate details, Jillian kept their private tête-à-têtes in confidence.

Ana spent her final hour of work that early afternoon preparing an agenda of sorts to update her new boss on the projects she'd been handling. Having worked for the Botox Bitch, Ana still felt the need for extensive documentation. It didn't matter that Christian now owned the company. If anything, Ana felt she had to prove herself more than ever.

When at last she met up with Sawyer at the curb just after two, Ana pulled the clip from her hair, mindful of Christian's warning the previous evening, and willed herself to relax. Her holiday the previous day wasn't nearly the respite she needed from the week preceding. At times, Ana felt throttled from having no life at all to one cyclonic whirlwind of existence.

Arrival at Fort Grey only heightened Ana's anticipation. Thoughts drifting back to the previous evening on the boat, Ana rubbed her thighs together in the backseat as Sawyer pulled up in front of Christian's building.

Running a brush through her chestnut locks before she stepped out of the car, Ana already felt herself falling back into her rightful role in which her clothes always felt too tight and she'd acquiesce to anything Christian demanded. Yes, it had been five long days. That Monday afternoon punishment in his office only left her ravenous for all fifty shades of him.

Ana only needed to smile at the lobby attendant for entry to Christian's private elevator to the penthouse. Now, she understood why he made the passcode - her birthday backward - so simple: Ana could think of nothing but what Christian had in store for her behind the maze of hallways and locked doors en route to his place.

Without a care for how hard he might have planned to whip her, Ana bit her lip when Christian opened the door. His smile was so seductive, pulling her into his world, as he stood within the frame, minding her sweet little navy blue dress with a full skirt.

Words weren't necessary, she decided, as she could only manage a puff of a breath that left her lips, eyeing him back and taking in the sight of him - mussed hair and all, with his white button-down shirt tails hanging over his tight jeans. He wasn't relaxed at all. He was ready to play.

"Come here..." was all he said, and Ana dropped her bag inside the foyer as he slammed the door, then pressed her against it, his mouth nearly bruising her, his hips pinning her against the cold metal.

Ana tossed her head back, banging it against the door, but she didn't care - didn't notice the pain from her thump at all as his lips nipped at her neck and dipped lower, biting through the heavy layers of linen and silk of her dress to clench her nipple between his teeth.

Arching her back to allow him better access to feed his own hunger, Ana moaned and slid her hands into his back pockets to pull him closer...closer. Just the feel of him against her, the imagination of the heights to which he could carry her with one single thrust, Ana moaned and dug her fingers into his hair. She was wild for him - untamed.

"You are not making things any easier for me here, Anastasia." His voice so raspy with want, Christian sounded like a mere shadow of himself, yet all the while, he knew he held her right within the palm of his hands, ready to mold anyway he saw fit.

"Ohhhh...just...please...please, Sir..." she moaned.

Slamming his hips against her, he hissed in her ear, "Please, _what_, baby?"

"Please, Sir...?" she begged. "Please...just..._fuck me_..."

Ana's words were Christian's undoing. He wrapped her legs around his waist and carried her to the first flat surface within range - the dining room table. Easing her down, his arm swiped the huge vase in the centerpiece, spilling water from the floral display all over the meticulously polished mahogany.

Ana thrashed about in the little puddle as he pulled off her shoes and lifted the skirt of her dress to tug away her panties before kissing his way up from her ankle and over her calf before the tip of his tongue took over at her inner-thigh, lapping his way between her legs.

Again, her fingers found his hair and she gasped in shock as his mouth claimed her, teasing and tickling - his teeth nipping and biting her lower lips. Closing her legs around his neck, she marveled at this new sensation, losing herself in the feel of his slick tongue, seeking and searching her most intimate spot.

"Christian..._ohhhh_...!" she cried. "I have to..."

"Dammit, Ana...just..._come_..."

As he bit down so delicately on her very swollen center, Ana kicked her feet against his back and flailed her arms against the table, splashing the spilled water from the vase. While her climax took hold, he continued to urge her further, dragging out her pleasure as she muttered senselessly, her voice resonating in with dark, animalistic undertones.

However, before she even had the chance to settle from the earthquake of pleasure that left her nearly devastated, Christian's mouth found hers again, making certain that she tasted herself on his lips and on his tongue.

Fighting with the zipper on his jeans, he mumbled against her mouth, "I need you, and I'm having you right here..._right now_..."

Placing her feet flat on the table and scooting her hips forward, nearly to the edge, he positioned her, readying her for the next round. Fumbling in his own haste, he ripped open the condom packet that he'd pulled from his pocket, then tossed the wrapper over his shoulder. "Five days...and four hours, Ana..." he reminded her. "I can't go without you that long ever again..."

While she tried to reach out to him, he pinned her hands with his own at her sides. The second he plunged inside her, Ana wailed, screaming his name. She was already so close to tipping the scales of desire that she couldn't imagine holding back at that moment.

"Come again..." he ordered. "And just keep coming, Ana..."

"Coming...for you Sir..." she groaned, "..._just...for you_..."

"Yes, baby...just for me.._.only for me_..."

"Ohhhh...harder...please, Sir..."

Deepening his thrusts, he watched her writhe against the table, roll her eyes backward in delight.

"Can't stop...coming...Sir..."

"That's it...that's my girl," he encouraged. "My good,_ good girl._.."

With those words, she struggled against him, but his hold on her hands locked her into place as he sought his own fulfillment. Ana just couldn't get enough of him - couldn't seem to get close enough. Every trembling inch of her body quaked with a painful hunger for this man. If she could touch his soul at that moment, she still wouldn't be satisfied.

"More..." was all Ana could manage. "_More, please_...Sir..."

Her begging unraveled the last scrap of control Christian could muster, and with his release, he lost himself in a savage instinct to possess her completely. She wanted him - all of him - and he recklessly offered her everything he had to give, heightening the intensity of her impassioned pleasures with every last final thrust.

"Again..." she gasped, still wiggling her hips as he stilled on top of her, now covering her body with his own.

"No, baby," he whispered, kissing her open lips, still puckered from his bruising kisses at the door. "I took you so very hard - you need to rest...need a little break..."

"No more...?" she whimpered, making no effort to release herself from the trance into which Christian had snared her yet again.

"Someone..." Christian's lips pressed against her ear, passing over the line of her jaw and then dipped down to her neck, calming while she continued to tremble against him, "...found her big girl voice in bed today - or on the table, as the case may be..."

"Bad Ana..." she squeaked.

"Nooo..." he whispered, continuing his kisses and caresses. "_Very good_ Ana. But it might be time to experiment with a gag..."

"A gag..." she said, leaving her lips gaping as if she were waiting.

Chuckling against her ear, Christian murmured, "Oh, baby, you need to settle down..." Taking her lobe between his teeth for a delicate bite, he groaned. "I allowed you to lose a little too much control there, and that could be dangerous."

"Still dressed..." Ana stretched out her legs and slipped her pointed toes into the waist of his jeans that hung around his knees.

"So are you..." he reminded her. "And you're all wet, too..."

"You knocked it over," Ana giggled, turning her head to mind the mess of flowers and overturned vase beside her.

"Excuse me, Miss Steele?" he admonished, but his eyes were so very playful. "Are we getting sassy again with Kind Sir?"

"Sassy Ana gets punished..." she teased him, her giggle tickling his ears.

"Sassy Ana likes to Top from the bottom, too..." Christian reached out for a lily, broke off the stem and wove it into her hair. "Oh, what a salacious little creature Kind Sir is creating here."

Gently, he eased his hands behind her shoulders and helped her to sit. "Think we can make it upstairs, baby?"

"To the Red Room?" she smiled.

"No, sweet baby, to Christian's room," he said, pulling his jeans up and buttoning his fly. They'd made a mess, and Mrs. Jones was away for the weekend. However, for once, Christian disregarded the clutter in his usually ordered world.

Lifting her tiny frame with ease, he swung her legs over his left arm, supporting her with the right, and headed for the stairs. Ana clung to him, her arms circled around his neck. She could have easily made the trip herself, albeit on wobbly legs, but she adored how he always took such care with her, whether it was after a play session or simply making love.

After settling her to stand in front of him right next to the bed, he pulled the comforter back, then returned to Ana to unzip her dress and divest her of her bra. Hands massaging, he kneaded her shoulders, arms and back, coaxing her to relax further.

"Are you sore, baby?"

"Not sore," Ana said, "but it's almost as if I can still feel you inside me..."

"Not a bad thing," he smiled and kissed her lips sweetly, gently flicking the tip of his tongue inside her mouth.

Cautiously bold, Ana lifted her fingers to his top button...and waited, holding her breath, as she looked up into his suddenly frightened grey eyes. Slowly, she pulled back on the fabric, still clutching the button, but took care to avoid contact between her fingers and his chest.

"May I?" she asked quietly. "I won't touch you there - I promise."

His pause of panic seemed to last for minutes, as he weighed the repercussions of her request. The inner-debate was so evident in his eyes, on his face.

"OK." He nodded finally. "It's OK..."

Watching his face all the while, her trembling fingers worked at the first button. His face remained frozen, his emotions indiscernible. An idea crossed Ana's mind, and she smiled up at him, concern and sympathy weighting her gaze.

"Green, yellow...or red, Kind Sir?"

When Christian returned her smile, she sighed with relief.

"Green, baby," he breathed.

"Very well, Kind Sir..."

With the next button, he swallowed hard, and with the third, his shirt opened just enough to reveal his scars. One day, she hoped he'd allow her to kiss each and every one of them, but for the moment, she simply had to build upon his trust.

Immediately, she took her hands away. "Is that a red?"

Christian shook his head. "No, baby - it's a yellow. But we're over the worst part..."

When she'd reached the bottom button, she tugged at the open tails of his shirt, gauging her next move. She smiled again when he offered her his wrists.

"I'm so very proud of you right now, Mr. Grey," she said as she pulled at one sleeve, then the other. "I hope you know that..."

As the shirt fell from his shoulders with a suddenness he hadn't anticipated, Christian shivered. "And I'm proud of you for sticking this out, baby," he whispered and ran his hand through her hair. "Come lie down with me..."

Christian took to the bed and leaned back on a stack of pillows, and Ana sat down gently beside him, watching him closely as she placed the palm of her hand against his flat, strong stomach.

"May I rest my head here?" Ana asked, her blue eyes imploring. "I promise I won't stray..."

Cupping her head in his hands, he didn't answer, but just pulled her close. Against him, her lips curled into a smile again. So much progress for one afternoon, yet still so far to go.

"Red, yellow or green, Kind Sir?"

"Green all the way, baby."

While Ana reveled in the intimacy of this skin-to-skin contact, Christian's fingers feathered through her hair. All was so very quiet, but that didn't rattle Ana. Most often, the quietude between them was just as wonderful as their conversations.

"So, baby," Christian said, breaking the silence between them, "wanna tell me about yesterday with your mother?"

"Oh, Christian," she groaned. "It's not even worth discussing."

"No, Ana it _is_ worth discussing because it upset you terribly," he said. "Now what happened?"

"I told her that she broke my heart," she whispered.

"Well, baby, I certainly don't want to add fuel to this existing fire," he began, "but I didn't like the way she behaved when you were sick yesterday. Her lack of concern was quite telling."

"I'm so used to that from her," Ana said, her voice rising with sadness. "But something in me snapped yesterday. I took her behavior in stride for so long. Maybe I even made some excuses for her over the years...but I can't do that anymore."

"Just because she's been that way forever, Ana, doesn't mean that you should ignore your own feelings," he said. "She's been absent from your life. Maybe she's making an effort to change things now, but it doesn't erase the damage already done.

"She said some really scathing things to me while she was here," Ana hesitantly admitted, wondering if she'd hurt him, in turn, by telling him. However, she knew he wouldn't allow it to drop.

"Tell me..."

"She was..." Ana sighed so very deeply, "Christian, it was about...you...and us..."

"Can't offend me, Ana."

"She was trying to cast some doubts on my relationship with you," she confided at last. "But I know her words were coming straight from her own twisted mentality and her own inability to maintain a relationship with anyone but her own reflection in the mirror."

"I don't care what she thinks about me, Ana," he said. "What upsets me is that she's destroying her own daughter here."

"Well, that's certainly not the first thing she's done wrong as far as being a mother."

"I know it hurt you that she missed graduation..."

"Graduation...my sixteenth birthday...eighteenth...twenty-first," Ana began to tick away at her own mental list that seemed to grow exponentially with each year. "Every report card in between...my happiness...my heartbreaks..."

"What do you think was the trigger?"

"Her last two husbands, maybe," Ana said. "But even before she divorced Ray, there was a disconnect - with both of us. She was always so distant - from him and from me. If something didn't involve her directly, then she just sort of checked out."

"You think she just - maybe motherhood just wasn't for her?" he asked.

Ana shrugged, still cautious of every move as she snuggled against him. "She got married so soon after Ray. The ink hadn't even dried on the divorce papers. And when I decided to live with him...she didn't put up a fight. She just let me go..."

"You were essentially abandoned," Christian observed, and held her tighter. "That's the root of all of this."

"Christian, you don't need to hear all of this," Ana said, sitting up and turning way from him. "It's trivial compared to what you've been through..."

"It's _not_ trivial, baby," he tried to assure her. "And I know how much you're hurting. I understand that all too well..."

Touching her hand to his cheek, brushing her fingers over his lips, Ana said, "Never as much as you are, Christian..." she murmured. "Never. And one day, I hope you'll be able to tell me everything. But I'm not going to push you..."

Christian stiffened once more, thoughts consumed by indecision. Eyes squinting shut, he drew in a breath and held it. Seeing him like this, so fraught with the terror from is own personal nightmares, was so very rough for Ana, but she refused to budge. She wasn't in this for just the good times - not even for the hearts and flowers. She loved and needed and craved all shades of him in every hue, ranging on the palate from pale to so very dark.

Without warning, Christian moved Ana aside, and climbed out of bed, then stomped over to his dresser as if his life depended on this one single mission. She could hear him rifling through the top drawer, but almost methodically, as if he knew exactly what he was searching for.

Before returning to her, however, he breathed again, taking a moment to gather his courage. As he climbed back into bed with Ana, he handed her a small framed but faded photograph.

"What's this?"

Looking up at Ana were the sad and tired faces of a very young woman and a little boy. With brown hair to her shoulders, she was so very thin - almost as if some sort of sickness had ravaged her body - and her tattered clothes hung from her skeletal frame. The little boy had a head full of wily hair that Ana would have recognized anywhere. However, she noted that there was one unmistakable link between the woman and boy - both bore the same mournful steely gray look in their eyes.

Fingers tracing over the sweet little child in the photo, Ana smiled at him. "That's you!"

"Yes, that's me..."

While Ana thought she knew the answer to her own question, she still had to ask. "And...the woman?"

"That's my mother, Anastasia," he said so quietly that Ana almost didn't hear him. "My _birth mother_..."


	49. Chapter 49

**AN:** I just wanted to thank everyone again for reading, and please do leave reviews, and follow and favorite if you haven't yet!

Wanted to just let everyone know to get their tissues out. This is going to be a sad chapter.

BTW, just want to assure everyone again - this is a true HEA story. No cheating. Ever.  
xx  
bb

_**Chapter Forty-Nine**_  
Instinctively, Ana squeezed his hand and brought it to her lips. "You don't have to tell me, Christian," she said, the tears already pooling in her eyes. "Not today...whenever you feel..."

"No, Ana," he insisted. "_Today_..."

Swiveling around to face him, she wrapped her legs around him, and her hands around his bare upper arms. "You don't have to..."

"Yes, I do, baby," he said. "You deserve to know - and you _need_ to know..."

So desperately, she wanted to slide her fingers up to his shoulders, caress that ugly scar that blemished his beautiful body, but she held herself in check. Ana knew this decision to reveal all to her left him gutted and likely paralyzed with fear over what her reaction might be. Only his family knew the truth behind those sad steely eyes - the horrors that continued to haunt him every minute of every day. Ana had to gather her emotional strength and give herself to him as she never had before - not even in submission.

"Just please, Christian," she begged, "please don't feel obligated. And please stop if it gets too painful..."

"I'm not gonna stop, baby," he said. "If only I could just figure out where the hell to begin..."

While Christian did indeed want to talk, Ana knew she had to be the one to get the conversation going, but even she struggled to find the right words.

"Um...you were...born here - in New York City?" she finally asked.

"Yeah - in the Bronx," he said. "Lived in public housing - tiny one-bedroom with five people. All I can really remember now are the roaches crawling all over me every night when we turned out the lights for bed. The mice - I considered them my pets, when they weren't stealing what little food we had. I even named them..."

His peculiarities with food now made sense to Ana. Wasting one precious crumb meant so much more to him than she'd ever imagined. "Oh, Christian..." she sighed.

"Hey, it was the only life I knew," he reminisced. "There wasn't much beyond the walls of that apartment."

"So...you said there were five people...living there?" Ana questioned.

"My mother and whatever boyfriend - pimp, dealer, whatnot - she had at the time," he explained. "My brother - a few years older than me. And later...a baby sister. None of us shared the same father..."

To some extent, she actually understood where this all started with her own mother hopping from husband to husband. In Ana's case, however, there was only one child involved. She wondered what became of his other siblings, though. He never discussed them, and Ana was curious to know if he'd had contact with them after his adoption by the Greys. That, though, was a question she'd shelf for later.

"And your mother, Christian?" she continued. "Do you remember her at all?"

"Oh, yeah," he said with a thoughtful nod. Face sans emotion, Ana almost felt as if Christian were telling her a story not about himself - but about someone else's tragic childhood. "You can't tell from that photo, but she was actually a beautiful woman.

"What was her name, Christian?" Ana asked.

"Ella," he answered. "And she had moments where she was so completely loving - on her good days, I should say."

"What happened in between?"

"Drugs. Alcohol. Strange men coming and going..." he said. "Now, I think she probably prostituted herself, but what do you know when you're four-years-old?"

"I'm sorry," Ana gave his shoulders a quick pump of reassurance.

"I honestly don't know what happened to her - where her life went so wrong," he said. "She was a brilliant woman. She knew so much about so many things - music, art, anything cultural. But I guess she somehow fell into the wrong scene with people who only fed her addictions."

"That's very sad," Ana said, wanting so desperately to just wrap her arms around him and tell him that it was alright to cry.

Christian shrugged. "It was a completely wasted life," he said. "Unfortunately, I have a very long and vivid memory. And things only got progressively worse as time went on - especially that last year..."

Ana wasn't quite sure what he meant by "that last year." She could only assume he meant his final year in his mother's custody. While she wanted to know more, she was so very terrified to find out. However, her own disgust in simply listening to him discuss his early years paled by comparison to the life he suffered through. She had to do this - had to be there for him.

"Tell me," she said, running her fingers through his hair.

"Well, she - my birth mother - hooked up with this guy. He moved in," Christian continued. "I just remember...there were drugs, pipes, needles...all over that tiny apartment. Beatings - for all of us. He'd broken my mother's arm at one point. Burned my brother and me." Christian stopped for a moment and nodded toward his scars. "But my mother was pregnant again, for the third time, and he always had cash on him. So she stuck with him..."

"Pregnant with your sister?" Ana asked.

He nodded. "Pregnant with little Phoebe..." He sat back from Ana and looked up toward the ceiling, his lips pursed as if he were willing himself not to cry. However, for the first time ever, Ana saw tears in his eyes.

"I don't even know where the hell she got that name. But when she brought her home, I was smitten. She was the perfect little baby, and I loved my little sister immediately. She was the one bright spot in my ugly little world, and I felt like it was my job to protect her from everything bad going on around us."

"Phoebe's a cute name," Ana said, trying to force a smile out of him. "And I'm sure you were everything she needed in a big brother..."

"No, Ana, I wasn't," he said quickly. "I wasn't at all...I tried - but not hard enough."

"Christian, don't say that - you were a child," she said. Obviously, he felt as if he were just born with the weight of the world on his shoulders, and never managed to shake that mentality. "You have to stop with this self-blame..."

"Oh, Ana..." He wove his fingers through her hair and touched his forehead to hers. "You have no idea..."

"My sweet man, you torture yourself," she said. "_Why_? _What happened_?"

"Phoebe was about six or seven months old. She was crying. Sick, teething. I don't know. But she wouldn't stop," he said. Again, he closed his eyes, unwittingly rocking himself against Ana for comfort. "And the boyfriend...his rage just went into overdrive. I remember...my brother had the sense to run out of the apartment...and that was the last time I ever saw him..."

A foreboding feeling nagged at her thoughts, and Ana felt suddenly sick to her stomach. "Oh, no..."

"I watched that fucker do it, Ana," Christian said, gripping her hands so very tightly, then releasing them. "I watched him put the pillow over Phoebe's face..."

His words struck her like a jackknife, hammering at her brain as she tried in vain to process his revelation. She wanted to scream - wanted to break something...wanted to release her rage within. Yet when she attempted to speak, she choked on her own heavy sobs that heaved her entire body.

When Ana finally looked up, she realized that Christian was weeping just as openly with her.

Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around his neck, buried her head against his shoulder and gripped him with every ounce of strength in her body. She wasn't about to let go, but surprisingly, he didn't try to pull away.

"I am so sorry..." she muttered again and again. It was all she could possibly think to say to him. "Oh, Christian, what you've seen...what you've been through...I hate this..._hate it_..."

"Do you want me to stop?" he asked at last, nearly gasping with every word.

"No, Christian," she shook her head adamantly. "I want to know everything...every detail..._please_..."

"OK..." He took another deep breath and calmed himself as best he could before he continued. "I just remember my mother screaming - wailing like I'd never heard before or again in my life. And he went after her next...just beating her...ruthlessly...first - what he did to my sister...then to my mother...and when he pulled out the gun..."

"No..." Ana spat. "Oh, no..."

"I took the few seconds I had to spare, and decided to hide under the bed," he said. "I could hear him fire - could smell the smoke. And suddenly things got so very quiet."

"He shot her - shot your mother?"

"Yes, Ana, he shot her dead..." Christian said. "After the gunshot - and my mother's scream - I just waited under there under the bed with the roaches until I thought the coast was clear. I knew there was a fire escape in that bedroom. And just as I crawled out and managed to push out the screen...he was there...in the doorway...with the gun..."

"But you got out, Christian...you...you were - safe...?"

"My shoulder, Ana," he whispered. "That's where the bullet grazed. And just as I fell over, I could hear sirens...and I don't remember anything beyond waking up in the hospital...with this wonderful woman in a white coat...looking at me with concern like no one ever had before in my life...and holding my hand...and telling me very softly...that I was going to be alright..."

Wiping her cheek with the back of her hand, Ana tried to smile through their collective anguish. "Grace..."

"Grace," he repeated. "My _saving_ Grace..."

"That's what you were referring to last weekend - at your mother's party," Ana said. "The time you spent in the hospital."

"Yes," he said. "That hospital didn't just save my life, Ana. I got a whole new one that day..."

"You certainly did," Ana agreed, her mind drifting back to the moment when Carrick asked her to take care of him. Now, she understood the true weight of that request, and she vowed to do everything in her power to keep her promise. "You walked out of there with the two most wonderful parents in the world..."

"And I've never forgotten that," he said.

"May I ask what happened, um...to the boyfriend?"

"Killed in prison at Rykers Island," Christian said. "I think he was there a day."

"Monsters deserve brutal deaths," she said. "And what about your brother, Christian? Where is he? What became of him?"

Christian shrugged. "No idea, Ana," he said. "That day was the last I saw of him. Don't know if he went to a neighbor's...if someone found him on the streets. It kills me every day to know that we had to be separated, but no amount of money could lead me to even a single clue about his whereabouts today - if he's still alive..."

"You must have some hope, though?" she wondered.

"I do," he admitted. "And every couple of years, I try again to find him. I'm not giving up until I have some answers there - good or bad."

"Christian?" Face swollen from the tears that wouldn't stop falling, Ana reached toward him, near his shoulder. "_Let me touch you, please_?" she pleaded. "_Please, Christian_..."

"Oh, Ana..." He winced as though that bullet was piercing his young skin once again. "Ana...I..."

"I'm not going to hurt you," she said. "I would never hurt you...ever, Christian Grey..."

"Go..." he stammered, "...go ahead..."

Touching her fingers so very delicately to his skin, Ana swept over the scar that lined his shoulder, retracing again with the palm of her hand. All the while she waited for him to jump - move away - recoil from her; however, he sat so patiently, even as he minded her with wary eyes, and remained still against the gentle feel of her hand.

"It's..."

"Red?" she asked.

"No," he insisted. "No, Ana...not at...not at all..."

"Do you trust me now?" she asked, holding her breath as she waited for his answer.

"Anastasia..." he could barely speak her name. "I...I..."

"What is it, Christian?" Her voice echoed with her fears that he was about to shut down once again - but she refused to allow him to bow out with any ease. "_Tell me, dammit - don't back away from me now_..."

"Ana, I love you..." Reaching around, he placed his hand on top of hers and pressed it against his shoulder. "_I love you more than anything ever in my life._"


	50. Chapter 50

**AN**: You guys blew me AWAY with the wonderful comments yesterday! I appreciate every single one of them, and I apologize to those who cried. Thanks to everyone for reading again, and stay tuned!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

xx bb

_**Chapter Fifty**_

Those words that Ana had been clamoring - yearning - to hear fell from his lips at last, and she couldn't speak, frozen in her own astonishment. He'd been so very close on too many occasions, readying himself to profess his emotions, yet he stopped himself each time, doubting himself and losing his courage to speak the sentiments he'd never understood before in his life.

However, there were no longer secrets between them. He'd told her everything. He revealed how dark and horrible and ugly his world truly was, and she didn't run. She forced him to let her hold him and comfort him. She gave him everything and more than he needed. And this time, he couldn't stop himself from divulging that last and final truth to her.

"Oh, Christian..." she said when she finally caught her breath and found her voice again, "Oh, Christian, I love you, too..."

"_I love you_..." she said again and framed his angular jaw with her tiny hands. "Ever since that first time...when you took care of me...in the Red Room...it's when I really started to realize what you need - but what you're capable of giving. And I knew...I just knew..."

Slowly, he lifted his lashes to see her face, the tears of sorrow and joy that intermingled in those bright blue eyes. "Knew what, baby?"

"I knew it was beyond my submission, Christian," she admitted. "I understood that sexually, I do need that part of our relationship...but that we were both capable of so much more..."

"This was the most difficult thing I've ever had to do," he said. "Even beyond telling you everything about my past this afternoon. But there are no more secrets, baby. None. And there never will be again..."

"Never," she repeated, her hand, now confidently, returning to his shoulder to offer a squeeze of reassurance. "And it hurts me - so very much - to know what happened. But silence hurt more..."

"I know I've put you through a lot in a very short time, Ana," he began, "and I'm not saying the bad times will ever be over...but I just want you to know that you've given me more in one month than anyone except my parents have given me."

"All I want, Christian, is for you to believe that you're the wonderful man I know you are," she said. "I wish I could change things - I wish I could erase your entire past for you - but I can't. And all we have right now is the future."

"Seems a lot brighter since I met you..."

"We still have a lot of work to do," she said in all practicality. "But I'm willing to put in that time."

"I know you are," he took her hand.

"Will you tell me about her, Christian?" Ana asked, gesturing toward the photo that was still beside them on the bed. "More about Ella? Those good days you told me about?"

"This," he said, taking the frame in his hands, "was my third birthday. And she took me to Central Park - just the two of us - and we rode the carousel. When we got home, she baked cupcakes...and she and my brother sang to me. I thought it was the best day ever..."

"She did love you - she just..."

"She was like Carla, Ana," he said. "Just not ready - and just didn't know how - to be a mother."

"You keep that picture in your drawer," Ana observed.

"I keep it close to me..." Glancing at the photo, then to Ana, he said, "But maybe it should have a place of its own." Stretching his arm out, he placed the frame on the nightstand.

"That looks lovely there," she said. "And I think maybe you need a photo of us beside it..."

Her thoughtfulness never ceased to touch him. "I'll work on that, baby..."

"Tell me something else..."

"She taught me how to hold Phoebe," he smiled. "Showed me how to prop her head up...and then I didn't want to let her go."

Another tear trickled from the corner of Ana's eye. "That's a sweet memory..."

"And she read to me," Christian reminisced. "When she wasn't fucked up..."

Ana placed her finger over his lips. "No," she said. "She read to you, Christian. Period. Remember that for the happiness it brought you."

"You're wise beyond your years, baby," he said. "I'll do that."

"Now," Ana began, "will you say it again?"

"What?" his eyes teased. "That I love you, Anastasia Rose Steele?"

Now, she was full on weeping again, her laughter spilling through every last joyful sob. So typically Christian, he'd taken her on another journey through every emotion her soul was capable of feeling, leading her again to that place where angst and hurt mingled with absolute bliss.

"A girl could hear those words over _and over_ again, you know..."

"Oh, yeah?" he asked. "Never said them before, so I wouldn't know."

"Over...and over...and over..."

"I love you, Ana..." he said once more and gently pushed her back on the bed only to pin her against the mattress with his body, the coarse zipper of his jeans crushing against her. _"I love you._.." He bit down roughly on her nipple and suckled with his lips, his teeth and tongue. "_I love you_..." His fingers dug into her ribs, tickling mercilessly. "I..."

"OK, stop!" Ana shouted. "_Stop_!" She still couldn't stop giggling.

"You know I love a good struggle from you, Anastasia..." Christian continued with his latest brand of torture. "Did I mention I love you?"

"Did I mention...oh, shit!...that _I hate being tickled_...oh, Christian...!" Her own laughter nearly suffocated her. "Red! Red! _Red_!"

So he stopped, but she was still smiling. "You are not allowed to safeword my emotions, baby. I'll get you later..."

"Promise?"

Just for good measure, he sunk his teeth into her other breast, his tongue twirling the nipple all the while. Again, he returned to Center Command.

"Oh, I owe you, Anastasia," he said.

"Do I see The Red Room of Pain in my very near future?"

"Maybe I have other plans for you this weekend..."

"Oh, yeah, Kind Sir?"

"Perhaps, Penelope," he said. "And perhaps we need to work on your patience a little. I think it's that 'only child' in you..."

"Are we playing, Kind Sir?" she asked.

"Nope, baby, we're having a conversation." Still on top of her, he didn't bother to move. "And while I have you here, Ana, there's something else I want to discuss..."

"Uh-oh!" Ana covered her mouth with her hand. "Sounds serious. What did Sassy Ana do now?"

"Well..." Lobbing his head from side to side, he pursed his lips, considering his words. "It _is_ serious, but Sassy Ana didn't do anything."

Reminding herself that nothing could be as awful as what they'd already discussed that afternoon, she relaxed, and waited for him to continue.

"I'm actually hoping this might be a good thing," he said. "You know, it's been a very long week - just not having the chance to see you, be near you alone. In fact, it was torture for me."

"Likewise," Ana agreed, "I missed you, too."

"Ana, I'm not going to mince words here," he continued. "I want you to move in here - with me. I don't like your present living arrangement with what's-her-face. And it's driving me crazy - falling asleep alone, waking up without you. Sometimes, I can't sleep just worrying about you."

"Christian, I..."

Kissing her into silence, he murmured against her mouth, "I want you to think about it, OK?"

"But what if..."

His hand closed over her mouth. "Silence, Ana," he commanded. "I love you, but his is a huge decision - a commitment - to make. But right now...I think I've exhausted you. You're not able to think as clearly as you need to about this. And I want you to take a nap, and consider this for a bit before we discuss it again."

Christian was clearly done talking, at least for the moment. He'd given her too much to think about, far beyond the truth about his childhood, but he was drained and couldn't continue. And Ana couldn't fault him. She understood his motives behind the entire sequence of events that afternoon. Christian made no moves of importance that weren't fully methodical. He knew he had to reveal all of himself before he could tell her that he loved her...and he had to admit his true feelings before asking her to move in. He knew he'd overloaded her with too much information, but yet he didn't try to force her hand in his proposal.

Relaxing his hold on her, he eased to the side and simply held her in his arms, his hands sweeping gently now over her shoulders, her arms, her hips - attempting to soothe her into slumber.

"I love you, Ana..." he said, nearly drifting off himself.

"And I love you, Christian." _More than you'll ever be willing to admit._


	51. Chapter 51

_**Chapter Fifty-One**_  
A familiar scent - and not a pleasant one - led Ana by the nose to the kitchen early that Saturday morning. Carefully, she treaded through the dining room, tracking the stench like a hound, and doing her best to laugh in silence. However, the manic scene she discovered when she opened the door to the kitchen forced her to blow her quiet cover.

"Um," she began, fingers rising to hide her ornery smile, "may I ask what Kind Sir is trying to accomplish this morning?"

Christian stood at the range on the center island, dressed only in his boxer briefs with his hair completely sleep-sex tousled and a whisk in his hand. Before him, there was a bowl of beaten eggs, the shells floating conspicuously within, and behind him the bread burned in the toaster.

Fearful that he'd crack the whisk over her bare bottom, Ana endeavored to hold back her giggles. However, Fifty Shades of Fine Dining made it an impossible task.

"I'm making you breakfast - and I had every intention to feed you in bed this morning, baby," he said.

Clearly, he needed Mrs. Jones much more than Ana could have ever imagined. The King of Food Not Wasted was doing a mighty fine job at breaking his greatest decree.

Slowly, Ana made her way around the island to wrap her arms around his waist as she stood on her toes to kiss his once forbidden shoulder. Ana, by far, was no chef herself, but she at least knew her way around the kitchen well enough to prepare a simple breakfast.

"I love you, Christian," she said, "but I think you need a little help here..."

"I got it, baby..." he said, just as the layers of cooking spray he'd applied to the non-stick pan began to sizzle on the stove. Making breakfast for a woman was never his modus operandi. In truth, they were usually gone by the time dawn broke.

"Why don't you sit down, and I'll make breakfast?" she suggested. "And you might want to - um...find another use for that toast. Toss it on the terrace - feed the city's pigeons..."

"Oh, baby, you've lots to learn about New York," he said and turned in her arms. "We do not feed the pigeons..."

"OK...do you know how to work the juicer?"

"That, I can do," he said. "Mrs. J. gave me an entire lesson."

Satisfied that she'd given him a job to do, Ana picked up a fork to salvage the eggs he'd been beating. Again, she couldn't stop herself from giggling, imagining what life would be like living with Christian Grey. Oh, how she loved him - even his silly little weaknesses when it came to everyday tasks.

"So, I have a couple of conference calls this morning, baby, and one this afternoon," he began, "but I do have a couple of surprises for you this evening."

Boyish Christian and his love of surprises. "I know better than to ask what specifically we'll be doing, but are we staying in or going out?"

"Oh, we're spending some time on the town this evening," he said. "You'll know more this afternoon. And by the way, I haven't told you this morning yet how much I love you..."

"Back atcha, Fifty," Ana said, pouring the eggs into a fresh pan to avoid burning.

Minutes later, Ana plated two almost-perfect spinach and goat cheese omelets, alongside two very-perfect pieces of toast, and set their places at the counter. Meanwhile, Christian managed the mimosas _and_ the coffee quite nicely before he sat down to join Ana for breakfast.

"Cheers, baby," he raised his champagne flute to Ana.

"Cheers, my love," she returned.

"So..." he began, "have you been thinking about my little proposition yesterday?"

"I have," she smiled.

"And you're not ready to give me an answer yet...?"

"Not quite."

"You drive me," he took a sip, "absofuckinglutely crazy, fine lady..."

"Aim to please, Kind Sir, but you did tell me to take my time," she reminded him thoughtfully.

"That I did, indeed, Miss Steele," he agreed. "Just wanted to make sure that you were...attending to your homework."

"Funny that you mentioned homework," Ana said, changing the subject just ever so carefully. "I have a few errands I need to run this morning while you're working."

"Taylor can take you," Christian said. "Wherever you need to go, baby. I just figured Sawyer had enough with Carla this week, so I let him have a couple of days away."

Folding her fingers over his bare knee, Ana gave a squeeze and said, "I just want you to know that she can't say anything about our relationship to influence me."

"Oh, Ana," he chuckled somewhat sinisterly, "I already know that. You know, I was really hoping that it wouldn't be so bad for you when she visited. But now I understand why you were so worried."

"Well, the way we left things, you won't have to see her in quite some time," Ana reflected. "And oddly, I don't feel remorseful."

"I would like to meet Ray, though," he said casually.

"I don't think we could get him to New York," Ana said. "Nothing to shoot here..."

Christian laughed. "Well, maybe we should just take a trip to Washington."

"You'd do that?"

"Anastasia," he admonished, "I just opened up my entire life to you yesterday and told you that I loved you. I've also endured a painstaking day with the bad parent, and now I think I deserve to meet the good one."

"You'll like Ray," she assured him, smiling all the while. "Just brush up on your fly fishing..."

"Already know all about it, Ana. Carrick was quite the outdoorsman in his younger years."

"Hmmm...then you and Ray could make quite a dangerous pair."

"I think I like him already," Christian said. "He's responsible for raising _you_."

"Well, I don't mean to bring this party to a quick end, but I should get moving," Ana said to Christian's groan of disapproval.

"Yeah, and I need to go prepare for my conference call." When Ana hopped off the barstool, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her very quickly.

"Dressed like that?" Ana giggled.

"It's not like it's skype!" he protested. "Besides, I managed to conduct business with you naked in my office the other day. I think I can handle a few calls in my boxers, baby."

"Bad boy," Ana teased against his lips.

"And you love him..."

"Yes, I certainly do!"

# # #

"So where are we heading today, Miss Steele?"

Ana loathed when Taylor refused to call her by her first name, but she grunted in silence from the backseat of the luxury sedan.

"I need to pick up a little gift for Christian," Ana said, "so please don't radio him and tell him where we're going, Taylor."

Turning around in the driver's seat to face her, Taylor smirked. "Do you really think I can pull _that_ one off, young lady?"

"OK - ultimately, I need to stop at that Walgreens down the street here. But first we're going to Saks." she said, thinking quickly as they pulled away from Fort Grey. She was about to spend a little more money that she could really afford, but CHristian only deserved the best...even if her small token came in a very small package. "Now, St. Patrick's Cathedral is right next door. I'll make up a story about wanting to see the architecture or something. So let's just go with that."

"And what if he asks about the architecture, Miss Steele"

"I'll handle him," she assured with complete confidence.

The heat, which Ana wasn't used to coming from rainy Washington state, was overwhelming that July morning, and she felt the burn of the sun against her pale skin when she stepped out of the car. Ana much preferred autumn.

Once inside the doors, the mingling aromas of designer perfumes all tickled her nose at once. She had no idea how one could actually choose a scent in a store like that with such strong competing notes filling the air.

On this trip to Saks, Ana realized quite suddenly, that without a guide, she had no idea where she was going, so she stepped up to one of the counters to inquire where the home decor section was located.

"Miss Steele?" a familiar voice called out to her. "Is that you, Miss Steele?"

Ana turned around and with much surprise found Caroline Acton standing behind her, smiling so warmly - a gesture which Ana returned.

"We just made the delivery to Mr. Grey's apartment - I didn't realize you were coming in to pick it up..."

Shaking her head in confusion, Ana mumbled, "I'm sorry - what delivery?"

"Oh...um..." A flush befell Caroline's cheeks. "Maybe I'm confusing another order here. I'm sorry, Miss Steele. How are you? And how was the party? I saw the photo in the _Times_..."

Of course, Caroline would have recognized her in the paper, regardless of the name in the caption. With a gentle giggle, Ana said, "Oh, _that_..."

"I'm sure Mr. Grey is just enjoying your privacy while it lasts," Caroline quickly offered. "You both looked absolutely stunning..."

"Thank you, and thanks again for all of your help..."

"Well, I'm sure I'll be seeing more of you in the future, Miss Steele," she winked at Ana. "You have a lovely weekend."

"You, too," Ana said, still wondering what delivery Caroline could possibly have confused as she headed toward the escalators.

# # #

Before heading back into Fort Grey, Ana carefully stashed away the small bags of her purchases in her own tote, quite anxious to maneuver through the passcodes and sneak away from Christian to wrap his little gift.

Christian was dressed now, when she made her way through the foyer, and sat with his feet propped up on the couch reading a collection of Hemingway's short stories. Ana couldn't resist curling up to him for just a moment.

"A little light reading for a Saturday afternoon?" she teased.

"Certainly, you jest, baby," and he swung his arm around her before kissing her on the lips.

"He's too manly for my girly literature tastes," Ana said. "And the hero always dies!"

"Sometimes, the heroine dies, too..."

"Ah, yes - _A Farewell to Arms_ - fair point, well made, Mr. Grey..."

"Why don't you head upstairs?" he suggested. "I'll follow you in a minute..."

Taking his face in her hands, she asked, "What do you have in store for me now, Kind Sir?"

"You'll find out very soon," his eyes teased her. "Upstairs now, baby...my room - not the Red Room!"

As she scooted off the couch, he cracked her backside just for sport, and she felt that electric sting while she took the stairs two at a time, toting her bag. He hadn't spanked her since the ill-fated wooden spoon drew blood, and now she feared that his own trepidations had risen. How she hoped he'd get past that memory and wallop her soon.

The display on the bed caught Ana's eyes the second she stepped into the room. Draped over the comforter was a sleeveless, bright red silk dress from Valentino with jewel neckline and pleated skirt that would reveal just enough of her thigh, a set of La Perla lace lingerie that perfectly matched the dress, and a pair of Dolce and Gabbana black lace pumps. And in the center of it all, Christian had placed her collar.

Suddenly, her little exchange with Caroline Acton made sense. This was the delivery she'd accidentally revealed to Ana.

"You like it, baby?"

Lips gaping, Ana turned around, her eyes batting so happily in her surprise. "Christian - you spoil me too much!" She readily fell into his open arms. "It's just gorgeous!"

"You haven't even asked where we're going..."

It didn't even matter. Just as long as she was on his arm, they could have sat in Central Park and handed out food to the homeless people all night.

"You said you've never been to the theater, so I managed to snag a pair of tickets to _Cabaret_," he said. "Front row. All-star cast. It's sold out for months."

"Really?" she squealed like a little girl at Christmas. "I loved that movie!"

"OK, get dressed, and then await further instructions," he said. "Meanwhile, I need to get dressed, but I'll be in the guest room. I don't want to see that dress again until_ you're in it_."

"Kiss?"

"You're going to have to wait for that, baby..." With a rueful smile, he turned and left the room, gently closing the door.

"Dammit, Fifty..." she muttered. "Just...dammit!"

# # #

All dressed up with somewhere to go, Ana stepped out of the master bathroom at last. Christian chose the perfect little outfit in this red slinky dress. It was sexy and comfortable with a flirty edge.

After one last hair and make-up check in the mirror above the dresser, Ana looked down to retrieve her collar from the box where she'd placed it before stepping into the shower. The box was gone...but in its place, a note.

_**Meet me in the RROP. xx CG**_

That man certainly did enjoy keeping things Fifty Shades of Interesting. Christian Grey just loved to keep her guessing. Ana couldn't even begin to guess what he had in store for her before they left for dinner.

With her carefully wrapped gift in hand, she headed down the hallway, then gently knocked at the door. On the other side, Christian stood with her collar in his hand, impeccably dressed per his usual in a navy suit and sea blue shirt with a tie that matched his steely eyes. Folding his arms in front of him, he shook his head. "I don't know why the hell I bought you that dress, Anastasia," he said, "because I'm going to have a fucking hard-on for the rest of the night..."

While she smiled, she remained ever curious of his present intentions. Placing both the gift and her evening bag on top of her toy chest, Ana moved closer toward Christian.

"Kneel for me."

"Yes, Kind Sir."

Dutifully, she bent to her knees and dropped her head.

"_Very good_ girl," he said, touching his fingers to her cheek, "but I need you to lift your head. I have to put your collar on just so that you'll remember that you belong to me."

"I always remember, Sir," Ana whispered, feeling herself weaken as he wrapped the strands of diamonds around her neck and adjusted the necklace so that the sapphire took center stage.

"Look up at me now, Anastasia," he said. "So beautiful..."

"Thank you, Kind Sir..."

"Now, stand for me," he said, and took both of her hands to help her up. "Walk over to the bed, but don't sit down."

Ana knew she was quickly falling under his spell again, as the yearning ache between her legs intensified with every slow and careful step she took.

When Christian joined her, he carefully lifted the hem of her skirt, pulling it up above her waist to reveal her little red lace panties. "On the bed. On your back. And spread your legs. And careful with your dress - we're going out this evening."

Breathing shallow, she did exactly as she was told, and immediately felt Christian's ever-seeking hand there, pealing panties aside. He pressed one single finger against her, rubbing and teasing before slipping inside her.

"Just as I thought, Anastasia. No need for any sort of lubricant." He wiggled his finger just to watch her writhe against him. "You may come once - and that's it for now, baby."

"Ohhh, Christian," she moaned, as every muscle in her stomach and southward began pulling in every direction. Always, she wanted so much more, but he knew exactly where to touch, how much pressure to exert, just to send her flying over the precipice of passion. "Coming for you...now!"

When he held his finger up to her lips, she knew exactly what to do, licking him completely clean.

"Good girl..." he commended her once more as he reached into his jacket pocket to pull out an object familiar to Ana. "Do you remember what this is?"

She opened her eyes and smiled instantly. "My egg from my toy box, Kind Sir."

"You were so curious to see what this was all about, Anastasia. After tonight, you'll know..."

With that, he bent down between her legs and pushed the tiny toy inside her. He then reached for the tissue box on the nightstand beside the bed, grabbed a wad, and wiped her dry before slipping her panties back into place.

"Just remember, Anastasia," he warned, "I have the remote control in my pocket."

Eyes fluttering open in shock, she repeated, "Remote control?"

"Trust me, my love, this will quickly become your favorite toy," he assured her. "Now, stand up for me."

As Ana shifted, she clutched the silvery bulb inside of her, hoping and praying that it wouldn't...fall out. This was already torture, she knew, as that tiny little thing that was connected to some magical homing device in one of Christian's pockets already seemed to be nudging her in all the right places.

"I want you to stand still, Anastasia," he ordered. "And I want you to take a deep breath, and just pretend it's not even there."

Christian always so enjoyed placing such tall orders with her insatiable sex drive. That night, though, Ana wondered if she could meet his challenge this time around.

"Are you OK, Ana?" he asked.

"Yes, Sir." She breathed in again. "Wow..."

"Ready to go out for the evening now?"

"Not quite..." Ana said, and held on to his arms for one moment. "I have a little something for you before we leave..."

"For me?" he asked. "Ana, what did you...?"

Ana crossed the room to retrieve her purse and her package, testing her ability to walk with the distraction of the egg buried within. Upon her return, she placed the small gift in his hands, then took one step back to watch him.

"Open it, please? I know you love surprises..."

"Baby, you didn't have to get me anything," he said as his fingers so carefully removed the wrapping paper, pulling away each piece of tape and unfolding each and every corner. "Ana...oh, Ana..."

Mia had taken a lovely photo of Ana wrapped in Christian's arms, twirling around the dancefloor at Grace's party, which Ana had printed and placed in a gorgeous blue marble frame that she'd found at Saks that afternoon.

"This is...it's exquisite," he managed at last. "I think this is the best present I've ever received..."

"I'm glad you like it..."

"Like it?" he kissed her once, then twice, "I _love_ it!"

"Well, I was hoping that...maybe..." she said, biting her lip. "I'd like to put that in the bedroom - in _**our**_ bedroom."


	52. Chapter 52

**AN:** OK, seriously, I am convinced I have the best readers on FF!

I can't even begin to thank you guys for your kind words and support. You guys continue to surprise me with your reviews every single day. I am just overwhelmed with gratitude. From the bottom of my heart, I love you guys!

xx  
bb

_**Chapter Fifty-Two**_  
"You're saying yes?" he asked, incredulity clouding his eyes. "You'll move in with me?"

"I am, Christian," Ana said so very surely. "I want to be here - be with you. I know you said you can't sleep when you're wondering what I'm doing on the other side of town, and that goes both ways. I love you so much that I can't even concentrate half the time. I need to be here, beside you, just to know that you're alright."

Reality had once again grounded Christian Grey, as his quest to dominate her dissipated, at least for the moment, with Ana's selfless tenderness. He certainly knew how to control her in the bedroom, but when it came to his burgeoning emotions, Ana always had the upper hand with him.

"You make me so deliriously happy, Ana," he whispered. "I thought everything was fine before you stepped into my world, but it wasn't. I was so miserable, but you've changed all of that."

Ana wasn't so sure that she'd changed _everything_. He certainly had so much yet to conquer. She just wanted to make certain that he wouldn't have to work to eliminate his demons alone.

"So, _when,_ Ana?" he needed to know. "How soon?"

"Well, I do have to talk to Kate," Ana said. "And I need to pack. There's not much...but...next weekend?"

"I can't wait that long," he insisted. "Just can't, Ana..."

"How about I stay over a couple of nights this week?" she compromised. "That way, I still have some time to take care of what I need to do?"

"I'll pack your damn clothes for you..."

"Christian - patience. OK?" Ana asked. "You know how you worry about Elena? Well, Kate's become _my_ Elena. And I think I need to tread carefully there..."

"You know it's killing me to admit that you're right here," he said. "But I don't trust her either."

"I promise you," she began, "by next Saturday, I will file my official change of address. I may not tell my mother...but..."

"Well," he whispered. "I have a feeling that Kate will fill her in."

Ana shivered at the thought, knowing that Christian was probably correct in his prediction.

"Next Saturday, it is," Christian finally acquiesced. "Or I'm going to take that cane off the wall and use it on my beloved's glorious little ass..."

"Hmmm," Ana teased. "Maybe we'll just have to make it Sunday instead..."

"Oh, Anastasia, you do not want me to use that cane," he warned with all seriousness. "It's worse than the wooden spoon."

"Oh, stop teasing me, Mr. Grey," she giggled.

"I'm not kidding around here. Think splinters, baby," he said. "But for now, let's get moving. We have dinner reservations before the show."

"Yes," she sighed. "Kind Sir."

Spinning her to face the door, he commanded, "Walk," and followed close behind her. "And how are we doing with our new little toy, baby?"

"I feel it," she said. "But I can't help but think that I'm just waiting for it do something..."

"You keep waiting, Anastasia," he said, putting his arm around her as he locked the door to the Red Room of Pain. "It's going to do something...in due time, baby. It's going to do _something_..."

# # #

Conversation over dinner at a tiny Italian restaurant, tucked in the folds of the theater district the west fifties, was so very far removed from the weight of the sadness they'd been discussing for two days. For a change, Ana was quick to observe, Christian focused on the future. He encouraged her to tell him all about Washington and coaxed her to help him plan their intended trip to see Ray.

Of course, Ana reveled in Christian's plans. She adored New York, and if things continued to grow with Christian, she hoped they'd have a long, happy life together in the city. However, there were moments when she simply missed the comforts of her old home. Ray was no longer just a short drive away when she needed a parent. Perhaps Christian with his paternal ways replaced that role in a way, but she still missed her step-father terribly - especially now in the aftermath of Carla's visit.

Again, this was all so new to Christian, the art of dating over the art of mere seduction. In the past, he never had to make an effort to really acquaint himself on a personal level with any of the fifteen women who preceded Ana. There was simply an unwritten understanding that he needed to know nothing beyond their sexual inclinations. On the rare occasion when a former submissive attempted to push the envelope, to share a little more of herself, Christian was quick to change the subject and could just as easily walk away.

Yet now, he could have sat and listened to Ana discuss every last second of her life before she met him.

And Christian remained ever so jovial throughout their meal, feeding her bites of tortellini just to coax her to eat and ordering a second bottle of prosecco when the first ran dry. She cold only imagine what the older couple seated at the next table must have thought of them as they giggled, touched and played.

All the while, however, Ana remained acutely aware of that little mysterious device he'd nestled ever so carefully between her legs. For once, she thought that Christian just might have broken a promise to her. Yes, just the mere feeling every time she shifted or took a step was a turn on, but she couldn't help but feel a bit let down. She wanted, like always, more. And yet again, Christian refused to give it to her.

The theater was only three short blocks from the restaurant, and while Taylor did follow behind on foot, Ana enjoyed the walk despite the sweltering city heat. The streets were so very crowded, mostly with tourists hurrying to shows, but watching the eclectic mix of people congregating on every corner kept her well amused.

And just as she'd lost herself in the feel of Manhattan on a Saturday night, they stopped to mind a traffic light...and the slow yet sudden vibration between her legs nearly brought Anastasia to her knees on the curb.

"**_Oh_**," she said, her lips frozen in the shape of the word that just left them as she looked up at Christian. He simply regarded her with no show of emotion whatsoever on his face. Deadpan.

"Oh, what?" he played her.

"_**That's **_what it does..." Ana hoped Kind Sir would live up to his name, but she knew that it was more likely that she'd be in big trouble before the evening was over. Her overpowering sexual desires were at his absolute mercy, and he held the damn key.

"No idea what the hell you're talking about, Anastasia..." As he reached inside his the breast pocket of his jacket, Ana panicked, fearing that he was going to tap that little remote again. Oh, how he loved to toy with and torture her girlie-bits...

When he pulled out the ticket envelope, she sighed with relief, but knew he wasn't about to let her forget who indeed was in control. He knew damn well that every time his hand reached for a pocket - and there were many between his suit jacket and pants - her heart would stop as she waited to discern his next move.

Once inside the theater lobby, Christian suggested a quick drink before the show, and naturally, he set fire to her panic when he reached for his wallet to pay for his martini and her glass of wine.

"Excited, baby?" he asked, then popped an olive into his mouth.

"On many levels," she breathed.

Of course, he left her alone...until they bumped into one of his colleagues en route to their seats. _Buzz_...just as Ana reached out an introductory hand. How she hoped she didn't run into anyone from her own office that evening!

That minute-long walk from the theater entrance to the front row seemed like forever and a day as she wondered with each step just when he'd decide that it was time for another jolt. Once seated, Ana wasn't sure whether she should cross her leg or simply sit with her knees touching, ready to clench them together with the next reverberating assault. Such crazy decisions he'd forced her to make, while he remained the perfect pillar of cool beside her.

And so was the sexual education of Anastasia Rose Steele. Her only experience, to date, with a vibrator had been her very brief assessment of the collection Christian had chosen for her toy box. She should have known that he'd introduce her to the sensations in only the most unique and frustrating way he could devise.

"So you're familiar with the film?" Christian said ever so casually as he flipped mindlessly through his program.

"Yes, I've seen the movie," Ana said, watching those fingers turn through the pages from the corner of her eye. "Few times. Have the soundtrack on my iPod."

Longingly, she looked up at the people sitting in the tiny private boxes to her left, just above the stage. Granted the sightlines were probably horrible, but she would have given anything for just a little privacy.

Tonight was clearly her test for ever lesson he'd been hammering into her head - and into her nether region and beyond - for the last month.

When at last the orchestra began, Ana cleverly took his hand and held her grip on it. That maneuver, she reasoned, lessened his chances of zapping her with another little thrill by fifty percent. She could only hope that the remote wasn't accessible to his free hand.

So mesmerized, though, by the spectacle of the show itself, Ana quickly found herself lured into the gritty world of pre-war Berlin, and the tragic love story unfolding on stage. One of her favorite screen actors held the lead role, and she couldn't help but marvel that she'd never been so close to an A-list celebrity in her life...aside from Christian Grey, but Ana refused to count him. He was simply her love - her Fifty.

Always one step ahead, though, Christian did indeed have the remote placed somewhere in a pocket far from her reach. Much to her surprise, he was actually quite gracious, if not sympathetic, to the plight playing between her legs, only pulsing her a mere five times throughout the first act. While the hum of the egg was indeed quiet, nearly silent, Ana remained convinced that the entire audience could hear it loud and clear - even over the thundering orchestrations of the show.

As the houselights went up at intermission, Christian stood and took her hand.

"Enjoying the show?" he mused.

Carefully standing and rising on her tip-toes to reach him, she pecked his lips. "Very much, Kind Sir."

"Let's go outside for some fresh air, shall we?" he suggested "The show's a bit heavy."

And just as she took his hand and stepped into the aisle...he flipped the switch.

Pulling at his fingers, Ana stopped in her tracks. "That thing has..._speeds_?"

"Ana," he shook his head in mock confusion - that devilish, boyish smile easing over his lips, "what _thing_ are you talking about?"

_Don't let me fall_, she thought. _And don't let me come! Disasters. Floods. World War III!_

By the time they'd made their painfully long stroll through the lobby and out the front door, Ana knew she was nearly down for the count. There were simply no kegal exercises or squirming positions that were going to save her from her fate. Walking her toward a quiet corner at the side of the theater, Christian simply shook his head.

"What am I going to do with you?"

"I hope...the battery..._dies_..." she spat.

"An-nah," he admonished. "You know I only buy the _best_ of everything..."

"But this...this is..." She had to lean against him. The vibrations were so very strong, and she felt as if she were going to just collapse in an orgasmic fit right on the sidewalk.

"You wanted to know what it did," he reminded her, "and I'm merely showing you..."

"Christian...Slater...Grey..._de Sade_..." she hissed. "_Give...me...the...__**remote**_!"

With that, Ana shoved her hands into his front suit pockets, but he was all to quick to grab them, laughing all the while. "Wrong place, baby..."

Eyelids heavy, she held on to him, wavering. She had only one tactic left, and that was to beg. "Please...please, Christian..._please_..."

Jut then, the marquis lights dimmed, signaling that the second act was about to begin, at which time Christian mercifully reached into his back pocket and switched off the little motor purring inside her.

Drawing a gulp of air into her lungs, she closed her eyes and held herself so very still for just a minute, and she felt his lips in her hair. Yes, he'd shut that little egg down, but she could still feel the pulsations throbbing within. Oh, how he just made her crave him with every single passing second of every single day.

"You passed, Miss Steele," he said. "You didn't make a sound. And you didn't come. And here's your reward."

In her hand, he placed the tiny remote, then closed her fingers around it.

"You did throw a little tantrum, but we'll deal with that at another time," he said. "For now, let's go see the rest of this show, shall we?"

# # #

"So did you enjoy that, Miss Steele?"

Folding her arms across her chest, she looked at him and smiled. "That was quite exciting..."

Leaning further into the backseat, Christian threw his arm around her shoulders as Taylor headed uptown to drop them at Fort Grey for the evening. "Do tell..."

"Just seeing everything come to life," Ana said. "The music, the costumes, the set...and it was so much sadder than the movie...and oh, the finale...!"

"Um, Ana," Christian began, "I meant the _other_ thing..."

She knew that even in the darkness, Christian could sense that she was flushing Fifty Shades of Crimson.

Minding the fact that Taylor was in the front seat, Ana reminded herself to keep her assessment vague. "It was both - interesting...and...tortuous at the same time."

"It didn't make you feel good?" he chuckled.

"Oh, it did...just perhaps maybe if the setting were...different?"

Rolling his eyes, Christian shook his head. "That was the _perfect_ setting."

"Well, I passed my test," she said so proudly, sitting up straight with her shoulders back. "You said so yourself."

"Hubris is the most unattractive quality for a submissive, Anastasia," he said. "And yes, you passed, but not without punishment."

"What did...?"

"We'll discuss that upstairs, Anastasia," he said as Taylor pulled up to the curb. "Out of the car. March!"

Her dressed flounced as she strolled through the lobby with Christian behind her, watching every purposeful wiggle of her hips. Once inside the elevator, Christian said, "We're heading straight up to the Red Room, baby. And you know what to do when we get in there..."

"Yes, Sir..."

Fingers racing over the security keypad, Christian reached for the doorknob and nudged Ana into the foyer. "Onward, little soldier..."

In her heels, she took the stairs two at a time, and hurried down the hallway to the very last door, awaiting Christian to unlock their secret destination.

Once inside, Ana unzipped her dress, allowing it to slither down toward the floor and puddle around her ankles, but paused momentarily before she unhooked her bra, allowing him to take in the site of her in the racy, lacey lingerie he'd chosen for her. Off the shoulders fell the bra, then down her legs slipped the panties, and when she'd finished undressing, she bent over before Christian to pick up her clothes. She folded the silky little stack neatly, before she dropped to her knees in front of him, wearing her stilettos all the while.

"Take out the egg, Anastasia."

"Um..."

"You heard me, Anastasia," he repeated, "_take out the egg_..."

Ana sucked on her bottom lip, hoping he wouldn't noticed with her head bowed in her submission. "Yes, Sir..."

Sighing, she opened her legs a little wider, wobbling on her knees against the scrape of the silk carpet. For a moment, as she so slowly reached down between her legs, she felt as if she were changing her tampon in front of him. Touching herself was something that Ana just didn't do, and she wondered when - if ever - she'd move past her own chagrin.

Carefully she spread herself with her thumb and forefinger before dipping her other hand inside to retrieve the toy. She was so glad that she didn't have to look up at him while she did it, but was disappointed in herself as she felt the evidence of her own arousal on her fingers. Regardless of how humiliating the task, he never ceased to make her insane with her own desire for him.

"Good girl," he put out his hand into which she placed the egg. Just as he held the toy to her lips to clean with her tongue, his phone began to ring in his back pocket, but he ignored it. Whatever it was could wait.

"Alright, Anastasia, stand. And head over to the bed."

"Yes, Sir..."

Masking her smile with pouted lips, she stood up carefully, staring at the now familiar pattern on the carpet. As she strolled then stopped just short of her target, Christian climbed on the mattress to lounge on the stack of pillows behind him.

"Over my lap," he directed.

_A spanking_, she thought, her mind awhirl with her own lascivious yearning as she dutifully crawled toward him. Leaning in, she pressed her breasts against one of his thighs, then slowly slithered across him, making sure she made a few bumpy stops over the bulge in his pants along the way.

"Settle, Ana," his voice was stern. "So...here we are again - second time in one week."

"Yes, Sir..."

Hands kneading over her bare bottom, his fingers occasionally pinching, he continued on. "I've warned you before, when I'm playing with you - you do not, under any circumstances, interfere. If you're in distress, that's what safewords are for. But playing Sassy Ana and trying to find the remote control to your precious little egg is not the way to go about this. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir..."

"Now, I really don't know what the hell I should do with you anymore," he said. "Every time I try to reprimand you, you get turned on...and then you forget it's a punishment. And you just misbehave all over again..."

"I know, Sir," Ana whimpered. "I'll work on that, Sir..."

"Well, you're going to have to work really hard tonight, Anastasia," he warned. "First I'm going to give you twenty cracks. And I'm not going to be so gentle this time. Then you're going to suck my..." Again, his phone began to ring. He should have just turned the damn thing off, but he had that messy little egg in his hand the last time it rang. "Son of a bitch. It's Andrea..."

"Who's Andrea, Sir?"

"My Publicity Director." Angrily, he pounded his thumb against the phone to answer. "Grey..."

"Seriously, Christian, can you stop fucking around with Ana - in public - on Saturday nights?" the angry voice carried over the line. "Two weeks in a row here. I'd like to have some semblance of a weekend!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Your friends at the _Post_ took another picture of you tonight at the theater, and Ana's got her fucking hands down your pants! It's now all over the Internet," Andrea bellowed. "If I have to issue one more, 'I don't comment on Mr. Grey's personal affairs,' tonight I'm going to smack you upside your pretty little head!"

He adored Andrea for all of her brassiness, which is why he hired her in the first place. She took no prisoners, and her protection of Christian and all things GEH in the press was fierce. But that night, he couldn't help but to be amused by his own ever-tarnishing image. At least, he reasoned, it was better than an exposé on how he really spent his time with Ana.

"Andrea, are you telling me how I should conduct my personal life?"

"That's why you pay me the big bucks, Big Guy. To clean up your little messes..." she said. "Christian, this isn't even _like_ you. You used to keep your private life under lock and key. I'm happy for you. I'm happy for Ana. But get a damn room, for crissakes! Since you met her, it's like your dick walked out the door and took your fucking brain with it! Shit, my job was so much easier when everyone in this fucking town thought you were gay!"

"How about an extra week's vacation in August, Andrea?" he said, so very calmly, endeavoring to halt his own laughter.

"How about _behave_ your bad boy self?" she retorted. "Sometimes I think you spend too much time with Elliot."

"OK, executive order here," Christian said. "Ignore all of this until Monday. There's nothing we can do once it hits the internet. It's just fluff news. Think happy thoughts - like the quarterly press event."

"So help me, Grey, you're lucky I like you," Andrea warned. "I'll see you Monday morning - bright and early, loverboy."

Clearing his throat, he hung up the phone. "Now your little ass is really in trouble, Anastasia..." he forewarned. "Ana? _Baby_?"

As he bent his head to whisper in her ear, he could hear the sweet, gentle roll of her snore.

"Fuck," he muttered under his breath. A sigh hissed through his teeth as he pulled the comforter over Ana while she slept in his lap, the steady rise and fall of her chest pulsing gently against his erection.

However, Christian, in spite of all his wicked wiles in the bedroom, didn't have the heart to wake her up.


	53. Chapter 53

_**Chapter Fifty-Three**_  
That nervous bottom lip trembled as she pulled it between her teeth on her purposeful dash through the lobby on that Sunday evening. Much to her relief, Mike, her favorite doorman in the building was seated at the desk, and she stopped to chat for a moment, purposely procrastinating the obvious.

Yet another whirlwind weekend with Christian had passed, but she returned that night with his new promise of what was to follow. She loved him, and he truly loved her back. This was merely a start, Ana was certain, of not just a relationship but in building their lives together. Initially, Ana wondered how they might survive, coming from two such drastically different worlds, and never imagined just how closely their lives actually paralleled each other. Neither one could change the past, but they could indeed work together to create their future.

He'd let her off with a warning - for now - on falling asleep during her punishment, with the promise that she was in twice as much trouble next time they played. And Ana just couldn't wait!

That early evening, Christian reduced her to a fit of giggles before she left him for the night. After plying her with wine for confidence, he forced her to practice telling Kate that she's moving out, using him as her roommate's stand-in. He played devil's advocate, and continuously created new scenarios of how Kate might react, ranging from faux congratulations to throwing things - albeit, he simulated vases and hairbrushes with throw pillows from the couch.

He wanted to go with her, but Ana insisted that she needed to do this alone. She knew that she might not just be packing up her things - that she was likely about to end four years of supposed friendship, too, with her revelation.

As she slipped her key into the lock, Ana closed her eyes and wished for strength. Christian promised that he was only a phone call away if she needed back-up. She could only hope now that Kate would take it like an adult, but deep down, Ana knew that wasn't likely.

However, when she opened the door, she halted in the foyer as her eyes caught the scene on the couch. Kate, wearing one of her skimpy little tank tops and a pair of very tight shorts that left little to the imagination, was draped over Jonathan the doorman on the couch.

"Oh, I'm so sorry-" Ana said, turning away immediately.

"No, no, no, Ana," Kate murmured as she reached for her open beer on the coffee table. "Come back. I just didn't expect you to be home..."

"Want me to go?" Jonathan asked Kate, seemingly ignoring Ana's presence.

"No, you stay, too," Kate said.

Ana couldn't protest. After all, it was Kate's apartment. However, she also knew damn well that Ana always returned on Sunday evenings after spending her weekends with Christian.

"Hey, we're watching a _Night of the Living Dead_ marathon - wanna join?" Kate asked. "We're going to order some pizza, too..."

When Katherine Agnes Kavanagh started watching any movies or shows with any more horror than _Sex and the City_, Ana had not one clue. Her chameleon ways were at work once again.

"You know, I'll pass - it's been an exhausting weekend," Ana said, cursing to herself as her hopes to tell Kate that night dwindled.

"Well, from the looks of that photo that's all over the place, looks like you kept Christian up all night..."

"Kate that's just-" Ana had to stop herself before committing a very serious crime with her tongue. She had to maintain some air of civility until she had a moment alone with Kate. With any luck, Jonathan would have to return downstairs for an overnight shift. The evening was still early. "I'll be in my room."

What Kate didn't seem to notice was that Ana left her overnight bag back at Fort Grey. She decided that there was no reason to drag it back tot he apartment with her - it would only be one extra piece to move out later in the week. However, just like Carla, Kate rarely took notice of anyone's comings or goings but her own.

Slumping down on the bed, Ana peered into her open closet door, surveying what she would need to pack up. There really was no point in putting off the inevitable, she reasoned, and forced herself up to haul out her suitcase.

She never thought in a million years that she'd be packing up to leave after only a month of living with Kate. Yes, it had indeed only been four weeks. Most people would think she was absolutely crazy for agreeing to move in with an eccentric man so very soon after meeting him, but Ana felt as if they'd already journeyed through an entire lifetime of experiences together.

In fact, she felt she got to know Christian and understood his motives better in just four short weeks than she'd managed to glean from Kate in four entire years.

She certainly wouldn't need her heavy wool sweaters for quite some time yet, so Ana pulled those from her bottom drawer and began to fill her suitcase. While there was temptation to just squash everything into her bag and pull out that night, Ana reminded herself to exert every last bit of caution. Photos and her other personal items sitting about the room could wait until the last moment so as not to drum up any suspicion in the already calculating mind of Kate Kavanagh.

Christian had already set his decree that both he and Taylor would accompany her on move day. He swore to take absolutely no chances with Kate, and his foreboding feelings ultimately settled upon Ana. She just couldn't shake her own fears that things could so easily get ugly before week's end.

The knock at the door paralyzed Ana, and she panicked, looking at the open suitcase in front of her. Quickly, she scrambled to shove it under the bed and to close her dresser drawer oh so quietly before calling out, "Yeah?"

"Can I come in?" Kate asked from the opposite side of the door.

"Sure," Ana said, hopping up to her bed and kicking the suitcase further under the dust ruffle. "Come on in..."

"So you guys had fun at the theater last night?" Kate asked immediately. Ana knew this small talk would only last so long. There always seemed to be some sort of underlying motive stirring in Kate's mind as of late.

"Great show."

"Yeah, I need to get tickets to see it - heard spectacular things." Ana was sure that the ever-greedy Kate would find some way to procure a pair, even if the show was sold out for months.

"It was nice seeing your mom for a couple of days," Kate said. "She seemed to have fun the other day on the yacht."

"I'm sure she did," Ana quite simply agreed.

"What was up with Elliot? Is he always like that?"

"What do you mean?" Ana asked, eyebrow raised.

"I dunno - distracted, maybe?" Kate answered.

Ana shrugged and turned her head ever so slightly to avoid Kate's eyes as she smiled almost ruthlessly. "Didn't seem any different to me."

"Well, listen, the reason I came in here..." Of course, there was a reason - there always was! "Jono's gonna stay over tonight. I figured you wouldn't mind...well, since Christian stayed over before..."

Ana was quite a few shades of pissed off - not only because Mr. Creep 2013 would be sleeping on the other side of her bedroom wall - but also because she wouldn't have bothered to come home had she known she couldn't talk to Kate about moving out. However, this was indeed Kate's apartment, and as she noted, she was kind enough to let Christian spend the night.

"That's fine," Ana said. "I'll be asleep shortly."

"OK, cool!" Kate did a little happy dance in her spot on Ana's bedroom floor.

"What's your schedule this week?" Ana asked, hoping her tone was ever so casual. She, quite frankly, wanted to decide when she could talk to Kate and how many nights she could spend at Fort Grey.

"Tomorrow I have an event...dinner with my brother on Wednesday...and Thursday, I'm scheduled to work late. Vacations at the office, and I'm still the newbie. But Friday, I'm all clear!"

The only night Kate had free was Tuesday, and Ana had already promised Grace and Mia that she'd see them for a girls' night out. It looked like she would simply have to tell her Friday night - as Christian and Taylor carried her things out the door.

"What's up with your week?" Kate asked. "New boss starting?"

"Tomorrow, so I'm not quite sure what to expect," Ana mumbled. "Some things going on with Christian, too."

"So...Ana...I'm just guessing here - because you never said anything," Kate began, "but you two have...well...you know...you've slept with him, right?"

That was a question Ana certainly hadn't anticipated, and her anger began to bubble and boil over the cauldron.

"_Kate_!"

"Oh, I'm just wondering, Ana," Kate insisted. "There was a time you used to tell me everything..."

_There was indeed a time_, Ana thought, _before you betrayed my trust_.

"I know, I know, you're shy about that stuff," Kate brushed it off with a wink. "Just hope it's good..."

Sometimes, Ana knew, the anger on her face was so very transparent.

"Well, listen, I don't wanna keep Jono waiting, so I'll leave you alone to sleep," Kate said, and made her way for the door. "Sweet dreams!"

Kate wasn't gone for two seconds before Ana jumped up to turn the lock. While Ana hoped to busy herself with packing, it was all too quickly apparent that her night would be full of distractions.

"Oh..._what's_...that?" she could hear Kate exclaim just beyond the thin walls.

"Nuthin'.." Jonathan muttered.

First came the giggles. Followed by one overly dramatic moan reminiscent of Meg Ryan's diner scene in _When Harry Met Sally_.

As the headboard hit the wall for the first time, Ana pulled her iPad from her bag to drop the latest news to Christian.

_**From: Anastasia Steele**_  
_**Subject: She's Fucking the Doorman...**_  
_**Date: July 7, 2013, 20:23**_  
_**To: Christian Grey**_

_My Love,_

_Sorry for the lack of poetics in my subject line, but that's what's going on at this very moment. Literally. I can hear them loudly and clearly through the wall. Happy to call you if you'd like to give a listen._

_To further my angst, it looks as if Kate won't be around much this week, and I'll have to spill the beans on Friday._

_On the plus side, that means I have more time to spend with you._

_Missing you already. I love you, Kind Sir!_

_Yours - all yours,_  
_Penelope_  
_Anastasia Steele_

The tortuous sounds of Kate's dramatized primal screams continued to shriek against Ana's ears. Even with her own limited experience, Ana knew that she was faking every second. Briefly, she wondered if she and Christian ever reached those decibels, which was quite likely. However, they were usually engaging in play within the confines of a sound-proofed room. Perhaps, this was Kate's warped payback for the night that Christian spent in Ana's bed, however quiet they were.

The ping of her e-mail was music to her tortured ears, and Ana rushed to check Christian's response.

_**From: Christian Grey**_  
_**Subject: Lock Your Bedroom Door...**_  
_**Date: July 7, 2013, 20:29**_  
_**To: Anastasia Steele**_

_...and pee in a cup if you have to, my love._

_Or hold it for twenty minutes. I don't want you there with that guy in the apartment. I'm on my way over to rescue you._

_I'd rather not hear what's going on, as I fear I may throw up just as you did on the boat last week._

_I also hope you now understand why I'm such a stickler about your orgasms. There's a time and place for everything, and you should always mind your manners, even when engaging in kinky fuckery._

_Don't even try to sass me, baby. I'm getting into the car right now. And I love you._

_See you in a few,_  
_CG_  
_CEO, Grey Enterprise Holdings, Inc._

And Christian Grey saved the evening yet again...

now if only she could manage to get a meeting with Kate...


	54. Chapter 54

_**Chapter Fifty-Four**_

_***Heading to work in cab from LGA. Flight late. C U SOON! :D Jill***_

Ana smiled, then sipped her coffee as she read the text from Jillian. She was so very happy that she would be returning to the office soon. They had so much to discuss, and Ana hoped it would be over a proper lunch.

"Ana? Anastasia?" She turned toward the quiet voice and the gentle tap on the wall of her cube to find a tall, handsome man with wispy blonde hair, chiseled jaw and emerald green eyes. He had to be in his late twenties - thirty at the very high end. She didn't recognize him...so she could only surmise that...

"Jeffrey Ridder, but please call me Jeff," he extended his hand to give Ana's a hearty shake. "I'm, uh...taking Elena's position today..."

Immediately, she stood up, and quickly set her mug to the side. "Jeff, it's...really good to meet you..."

While he'd said nothing regarding her replacement since moving Elena to the mailroom, Ana was certain all along that Christian himself would have a hand in the hiring. However, now she began to doubt herself. He would have never - ever - chosen such a fine specimen of male to play the nine-to-five overlord of his beloved submissive..._unless this was another one of his little tests_...

"Do you have a few minutes?" he asked so very politely. "I'd love to just get acquainted, and maybe chat about a few things?"

"Oh, definitely," Ana said, following along behind him. "You know, Jillian's returning from her vacation, and she just texted - her flight landed a bit late. But she's on her way."

"That's fine," he said, his voice almost soothing. "Bring your coffee, and let's have a chat."

For some reason, Ana still harbored qualms as she neared that corner room of torture where she'd spent her first month at work fearing for her very little life.

However, she began to giggle when she stepped into the Botox Bitch's former lair.

The bright neon lighting overhead had been replaced with soothing, dimmer lamps around the room, giving that place she once dreaded stepping into a warm, cozy feel. Gone also were those damn metal chairs with impeccably rough cushions. In their place, two overstuffed leather loungers.

And on the wall in between the windows behind his desk, a framed, autographed poster of Cher.

No, that Christian Slater Grey de Sade was not tempting her, she realized instantly. Her new boss was clearly _not_ inclined toward...dating _women_.

"So have a seat, Ana," he said, taking his own. "Make yourself comfortable."

The word "comfortable" was not one that she necessarily associated with work.

"I understand you've been working pretty hard here," Jeff said, sympathy rising in his voice.

"You know, I actually have a ton of notes that I've prepared for you," Ana said quickly, "and it's no trouble for me to just grab them. I have them printed already in triplicate..."

His smile was so warm and genuine as he waved his hand to dismiss her. "Nah, don't bother. We can go through everything once Jillian gets here."

"Um, OK...?"

"I just wanted to take a few minutes and get to know you a bit," he said. "I know this is your first job, but I'm already hearing wonderful things about you, Ana. People like you - and they've told me that you were a true buffer with Ms. Lincoln."

She could feel herself blushing. If for no other reason, she'd at least found one positive for working for that woman for a month - she'd certainly made her presence known in the most gracious manner.

"You know, Christian and I go pretty far back," he said.

That wry smile playing over Ana's lips was simply unavoidable. No. Surprise. There. _**At. All**_.

"Oh, _really_, Jeff?"

"We were roommates for the first two years he spent at Harvard," Jeff said, joining her in that knowing smile.

Instinct prompted her to want to sit and pick his brain for the rest of the day, begging her to tell him what her precious Fifty was like in college. She wondered what - and how much Christian had confided in Jeff - what he knew of Christian's lifestyle then and now - but her temptation was all too short. They really did have to get down to business.

"And, Ana, I know you're dating him, so no worries there, OK?" he assured her. "Christian said you adamantly don't want any special perks being the boss' girlfriend, but from everything I've been told, you're already making your own mark here."

"I really appreciate that, Jeff."

"And I also want to let you know that things are going to be very different from herein," he explained. "Christian really wants to change the corporate culture here - he's well aware of how dismal things have been. He hopes that what used to be Remington will really grow and mesh with his style over at GEH. And you'll be a part of that, Ana."

"I still have a lot to learn," she admitted.

"And I have a lot that I can teach you," he said. "Both you and Jillian. You're a part of my team, and we can all work together to make each other look good. No late nights. No screaming. Can't say that I won't swear like a sailor sometimes or sneak out for a salon appointment once in a while...but hopefully, you guys won't be sad when I return."

Ana had to laugh. She thought she just might have fallen in love with Christian all over again. How he so enjoyed patching up her wounds and putting a big band-aid on everything that was bad in her life.

"I'm really looking forward to working with both of you gals," Jeff said. "And I think we can have some fun along the way."

"Me, too, Jeff," Ana said. "Me...too..."

They talked for just a few more minutes, and with each passing second, Ana relaxed all the more. Confidence restored, she actually thought she just might grow to love what started out as a tortuous job after all.

When she returned to her desk, she couldn't resist a quick text to Christian.

_***ADORE JEFF! Have I told u yet that I love u this morning? xx AS***_

His reply was immediate, as if he were awaiting her assessment.

_***GLAD. And about 10 times. But u were right. Can't hear it enuff. xx CG**_

"There's Penelope Lynn Merryweather...!" Ana heard that familiar voice behind her.

"Jill!" Ana spun around in her chair, and hopped up to her feet.

"Girl, you gotta stop getting yourself in the gossip rags...but I missed you!"

"Missed you, too, buddy."

"So is she here yet?" Jillian lowered her voice.

"She who?"

"Our new boss..."

"She, dear Jillian...is a _he_," Ana informed her. "And I think you're really going to like him."

Yes, all was indeed peaceful and quiet once again at the company now known as Grey Publishing, Inc. However, in another office, a few blocks away, Elena Lincoln still continued to wield her so very special brand of torture...

# # #

A long weekend in the Hamptons did very little to soothe Elena Lincoln's sour mood. In fact, her new duties tooling around the mailroom at Grey Enterprise Holdings only continued to fill her with rage that escalated with every delivery she signed for, every copy she had to make and every last envelope she ran through the postage machine.

"Mailroom," she answered the phone, with the enthusiasm of a man on death row waiting for his lethal injection.

"Hi, it's Jeff Ridder over in editorial, how are you this morning?" he asked then quickly moved on. "Ana Steele had dropped off a couple of manuscripts last week to be photocopied, and I'm just wondering if they happened to be ready?"

_Anastasia Steele._ That name made her burn with rage. "No manuscripts were ever dropped off...Mr., uh, Ridder, did you say?"

"I know they were - I have the ticket here," he insisted. "Should I maybe speak with your supervisor?"

"No need," Elena said, pulling out her nail file. "I can tell you we have absolutely no record."

"Alright then, if you say so," he said. "I'll just give Christian's office a call and see what they can do..."

The line went dead, and Elena went back to her filing - of her nails - while eavesdropping on the interns in the next cubicle.

"Did you see that picture in the _Post_ this weekend?"

"You mean the one of Mr. Grey and his girlfriend?"

"She was _**all...over...him...**_"

"I would be, too! He's hot as fuck."

"She's cute, though, I have to say."

"Well, of course, she is - he can have any woman he wants!"

With that, Elena dropped the file on her desk, just missing her coffee mug, and stood up, rising above the wall to tower over the two young girls huddled next door.

"Would you two knock it the hell off with your damn chatter?" she demanded. "Some people are actually trying to _work_ here!"

"Speaking of work..."

Christian's faithful assistant Olivia stood behind Elena, minding the coffee mug and the beauty products scattered all over the desk. In fact, Elena hadn't even bothered to start her computer, and it was already well after ten.

"Elena, I have these press kits," Olivia began. "I need a thousand. There are five releases in each - each release going about three pages. They need to be copied, stapled and collated in the folders. They need to be shipped to Argentina by the COB. And bill it to new business."

"COB?" Elena asked.

"Close of Business," Olivia explained.

"I _know_ what it means," Elena insisted. "But you're kidding me, right?"

"No. Not kidding," Olivia said. "I've never had a problem with anything like this before - especially when it's coming straight from Mr. Grey's office."

"Mr. Grey can go_ fuck himself_," Elena said.

"Well, if that's how you feel, you should take it up with Mr. Grey directly. He welcomes employee feedback," Olivia continued. "For now, I need these kits assembled."

"I will take it up with Mr. Grey," Elena swore. "_Directly_."

# # #

"I told you she's brilliant," Christian said, spinning in his chair behind his desk to mind the skyline on that sunny morning. "Would I date any less? And listen, don't worry about it, Jeff. I'll handle the whole thing. You'll have your manuscripts messengered to you before noon. Things will be easier when you're all moved over here...I promise."

The scuffle at his open door drew Christian's attention away from his conversation.

"You cannot just barge in there and..."

"Hey, bud, gotta zip. Don't work Ana too hard today, OK? Ciao." He turned around just in time to watch Elena shove Olivia aside and into the doorframe as he slammed down the receiver. "What's going on here?"

"Christian, I tried to stop her, but-"

"Calm down, Olivia, and get some ice for that arm before it swells," he said. "I'll be right out as soon as I manage this little matter. I'll even go to the ER with you, if you need. Just close the door behind you."

"Thanks, Christian," Olivia said, grimacing over her aching elbow.

Once the door closed, Christian stood up. Ana was right - there was simply nothing to fear with this woman now. "I am going to remain ever so calm right now, given that I _am_ your employer..."

"_Former_ employer - I'm resigning."

"That's all fine, Elena. Welcomed, in fact," he continued. "However, I will also tell you that Olivia can - and probably will likely - press charges against you for assault, and I will be her witness."

"Oh, I didn't hurt her," Elena insisted.

"You've never hurt anyone, have you?" he wondered out loud, shaking his head. "Not even me..."

"Oh, _come on_, Christian," she wailed. "How did I hurt you? You were a willing participant in everything - and you loved it. The harder and the nastier and the kinkier the better it was for you."

"I was _fifteen_, Elena, and I had the sense to stop it right before my eighteenth birthday," he reminded her. "I just wish I would have told someone before the statute of limitations ran out..."

"Statute of limitations on_ what_?' she spat.

"Last I checked it was called _statutory rape_."

"Oh, that little bitch is just filling your stupid head with all sorts of ideas, isn't she? Statutory rape doesn't count for horny teenaged boys, so what we did would never hold up in a court of law to begin with - regardless of age," Elena ranted on. "Does she let you beat her, Christian? Do you tie her up and let her struggle until the ropes burn? Leave her black and blue? Does she give you what you _really need_?"

"She gives me _everything_ I need, Elena," he assured her. "She's kind...considerate of others...empathetic. And she loves me just as much as I love her."

"Love - what the hell do you know about love?" Elena taunted. "And really, who could love you beyond your wallet these days, you bastard?"

"I think we've said enough here," Christian said and picked up his phone. "Taylor? You're outside my door? Good. With back-up? You can come in now..."

"What...what are you...?"

Taylor and another one of Christian's security guards flanked Elena on each side, taking her ever so gently by the arms.

"You can go quietly, Ma'am," Taylor said, "or we'll call the police right now."

"This...this is...this is absurd..." she hissed. "This isn't necessary..."

"I think it is, Elena," Christian said.

"I'll get you, Christian Grey," she swore, "if it's the last fucking thing I do..."

"I'm sure you'll try, Elena," he said. "Good luck in your new endeavors..."

"You fucking son of a..."

As the two burly men hustled Elena from Christian's office, he picked up his phone to check on Olivia. It looked like they'd indeed be having lunch in the Emergency Room.

However, little did Elena Lincoln realize that just for the sake of covering his own ass, Christian recorded their entire conversation. The statute of limitations might have run out, but now he had a little piece of his own evidence to wage in his war against her.

Christian Grey didn't like to fight fire with fire, but in the case of Elena Lincoln, it could be his only way out...


	55. Chapter 55

**AN:** Special note of thanks to my buddy who answered my legal questions for this chapter. And a note of gratitude again for all those who have been reading along! Don't forget to review, favorite and follow!  
xx  
bb

_**Chapter Fifty-Five**_  
"Christian Trevelyan Grey, did I not tell you last weekend that I don't want to work for another fucking one?"

"Happy Friday to you, too, Andrea," Christian beamed as Andrea swaggered into his office with a stack of papers in her French manicured hand. "Tell me what Ana did this time around. Have one too many Cosmos with my mother and sister the other night? Walk around my master bathroom - _gasp_! - in the nude?"

Andrea was a stout woman in her middle-fifties with curly raven hair and a pair of dark brown eyes that could slice open a man's soul. She was an old-time publicist and knew almost every last reporter in New York City. She'd built her career on handling the most difficult crises that faced the mayor's office before she decided to try her hand in the private sector. She was one of Christian's first hires, and he did everything in his power to keep her and to make her as happy as he could on the job.

"Oh, it wasn't Ana this time," Andrea assured him. "It was that roommate of hers."

Face draining of color, Christian reached for the online article that Andrea had printed out for him to read as she passed it across his desk. He could clearly see the picture of Ana in her collar and her gorgeous navy blue gown right beneath the headline before he even dared to read the words.

Ire filled him as he noted the by-line.

**Katherine A. Kavanagh.**

_"That fucking bitch..."_

# # #

"Oh, Annabelle...?" Ana heard Jeff call out as she powered up her computer, readying to start the day and conquer her work before dismissal at two. She had to laugh at his nickname for her. One week, and they were already best pals. He'd bought lunch for Ana and Jillian twice as they worked their way through his extensive plans to revitalize the editorial department, then took them out for drinks just to get to know them both a little better. Yes, Jeffrey Ridder was making a grand effort to erase the evil memories of Elena Lincoln from his young charges' memories.

"Annabelle, dear, can you step into my office for just a minute? You should probably bring your phone with you, too."

"My phone?"

"Uh-huh," he said. "I have a sneaking suspicion you're about to get a call..."

For once, being called into that office, Ana didn't feel as if she were about to step willingly into her own beheading. However, she did pause for a bit of concern when Jeff asked her to close the door.

"Did you see the article yet?" Her quizzical look gave Jeff his answer. "Didn't think so..."

Brow furrowing, she asked, "What are you talking about, Jeff?"

Turning the huge monitor for Ana to see, Jeff frowned, then held his breath, awaiting her reaction.

She could feel the sob building deep within her belly, then heave her entire body in its release, but her eyes remained dry of tears. All she could focus on was the photo of herself, so happily staring back at her, and the headline.

All of the anger over the jabs and meddling and generally snide and snarky behavior of Katherine Kavanagh over the last five weeks trickled slowly through her blood, rushing faster with every second that Ana stared at the screen seething. There was a time bomb ticking down within her body, and she knew she only had seconds left to spare before she detonated.

"Some Cher?" he suggested, trying to divert her attention for one moment and make her laugh. "Gaga? Donna Summer - she's always good for stuff like this..."

Ana could speak only one sentence, and she gritted her teeth as the words passed through her lips. _**"I...AM...GOING...TO...KILL...HER..."**_

When Ana's phone began to ring, she was so blind with rage that she couldn't even answer.

"Too late," Jeff said. "I'm pretty sure Christian already got there first..."

"Did you see?" Christian's voice thundered. _"Did you fucking see?_"

Ana groaned in his ear. Of course, he was Fifty Shades of Fucked Off right now, but she didn't want to deal with his wrath...nor did she particularly want to read the article.

"Actually..." her voice wavered, "I just opened it...now..."

"So help me, Ana, I don't care what she said about me, but I'm suing her damn ass for what she's said about you..."

"That..." Her face soured with the echo of his words. "_Bad_?"

"My father's team is already working on a libel suit," he said, "if I don't march over to that so-called news operation _myself_..."

Ana could hear Andrea's voice in the background, ordering Christian to settle the hell down.

"Christian..." Ana said, trying uselessly to catch his attention. "Christian...please...listen to me?"

"What, baby?" he said, his tone a little softer.

"Let me read it first...and then I'll call you back to discuss."

"I'm not going anywhere..."

_**Kinky Virgin Steeles Grey, Builds Empire of Her Own**_  
**by Katherine A. Kavanagh**  
_Rumors ran rampant for years over billionaire playboy__** Christian Grey**__'s sexual conquests, ranging from models and actresses to men. Now, the elusive Grey has been spotted all over New York City the last month with a mystery brunette whom he's refused to name. However, her intentions are very clear to claim a stake in his notoriety and wealth._

_Every socialite in New York is clamoring to know the details about this young woman and what she's done to snare the seemingly most confirmed bachelor, and we have the exclusive details on the young lady who seems to have stolen Grey's wallet...er...heart._

_**Anastasia Steele**__ arrived in New York in early June. However, life changed quickly for the recent Washington State graduate, who has a degree in English Literature and a perfect grade point average, when she allegedly met Grey on just her second night in town at a benefit for the Children's Cancer Ward at Mercy hospital._

_Their whirlwind affair progressed swiftly, with dates around the city and a party at Grey's parents' palatial estate in the Hamptons._

_Just last week, it was announced that Grey purchased Remington Publishing, coincidentally where Steele worked as an editorial assistant. Steele clearly has set her sights on a takeover and conspired with Grey to oust her boss and longtime editor, Elena Lincoln, with every intention to man the helm of the publishing dynasty herself._

_When reached for comment, Lincoln said, "She's not the brightest [redacted] bulb on the tree, and I don't [redacted] understand how in the world she could snare herself a [redacted] billionaire..."_

_Steele, a noted bookworm obsessed with the classics, was still very much a virgin when she arrived in New York, a friend confirmed. In fact, she never had a single date throughout her four years of college._

_Bets are that all that has changed since meeting Grey. Last weekend, Steele was photographed with Grey outside a theater in a very compromising position. The couple apparently, does enjoy a bit of kink. In fact, in an e-mail dated June 15, Grey asked her to "forget to wear your bra and panties" adding that, "Less is so often more."_

_Less, indeed, may be more, so we'll all just have to wait around to see how much Steele walks away with. However, for the moment, it looks like Christian Grey is off the market, ladies._  
_-KAK_

"Oh..." Ana clutched her stomach. "_Oh, this is awful_..."

"Look on the bright side, Annabelle," Jeff said, "at least she didn't call you a slut..."

"Can he even sue?" Jeff had been a journalism major, so he knew a bit about the laws. "I mean...Christian's a public figure..."

"Technically, _he_ is," Jeff said, "but _you're_ not. And there are false statements in that article, Annabelle."

"I think malicious intent is rather clear - she hacked into your e-mail somehow, which is also a crime in itself," he continued. "As for what Christian told you to do with your panties, or the fact that he was your first, your last or your everything either, I really don't wanna know."

"Oh, Jeff, how am I...I can't even sit at my desk today. I can't face anyone!"

"Malicious intent. You can't even work today. I'll vouch for you in a court of law. _Go home_..."

"I...I can't...I'm still...technically...Kate's apartment..."

"I thought you moved in with Christian?" Jeffrey asked, thoroughly confused.

"Not...officially...yet..._ohhhh, what a mess._.." she muttered. "I'll explain later..."

"Call him back," Jeffrey said. "He always has all the answers..."

For once, Ana wasn't sure if Christian did.

# # #

"So you told your girlfriend to drop her drawers before she got dressed for a date? It could be worse..."

"Andrea," Christian's eyes narrowed, "that's not even funny...and I'm wondering what else she saw in Ana's e-mail."

"You have something you want to tell me, Grey?" Andrea asked. "_Before_ it hits the press?"

Raking his fingers through his hair, he began to pace again, taking long strides across his office and back. "Not right now, Andrea...not right now..."

"Whatever you're hiding, Christian, I need to know," Andrea said, "and the sooner you tell me, the better."

"Can't..." Ana would never betray his trust, and he wasn't about to betray hers - even to the head of his Damage Control Team.

He was almost relieved when his private line rang with Ana's cell phone number. "Give me a few minutes to take this, Andrea..."

"I'll be waiting right outside," Andrea said. "I don't think we're quite finished yet here today."

"Baby, I'm sorry I screamed at you," he murmured into the receiver.

"No...it's...don't apologize, Christian..."

"Where are you?"

"Jeff's office - he just left to give me some privacy here..."

"Yeah, not much of that in a cube," Christian said. "And you can trust him, baby."

"Jeff actually saw the story first. And he's already talked me off a cliff and tried to explain libel laws to me," Ana said. "I just don't know how the hell she got into my e-mail. I swear, I delete everything right away - even from the trash."

"Well, that's gotta be the only thing she's seen, if it's any comfort, Ana," he tried to soothe over his own anger. "If she'd read the others, I'm sure she would have written all about them."

"You're just trying to placate me," Ana accused.

"And selfishly myself..."

"So," Ana began, "what do we do? What's next?"

"Let me finish up here with Andrea, then we're heading over to your former place," he said. "And we're just going to wait...until that nasty little whore gets home."

# # #

_"Ana..."_

_"Anastasia..."_

**_"ANASTASIA ROSE STEELE!"_**

_"Over here, Steele!"_

_"Look to the left, Ana, just look to the left!"_

"Still a _virgin_...?"

So much for Jeff, Taylor and Sawyer's attempt to shuffle her down a back staircase that morning and hide her away in a waiting car through an unobtrusive exit to the building. The throngs of photographers and reporters camped out on the sidewalk in a dizzying crowd made Ana waver on her heels.

All she needed to do for the moment was sneak out - and pick up Christian at GEH from his own back-ended exit. However, even with Sawyer and Taylor pushing aside the people and the cameras, she felt as if she simply couldn't move.

Ana was by far no celebrity, but these hounds of the media all wanted to sink their claws into her and to dig as deeply as they possibly could. With the last scrap of dignity she could muster, she tried to focus and follow along behind Christian's two most faithful employees and simply get into the car.

Naturally, the door was blocked. And the tears stung in her eyes. All the pushing, shoving...screaming...seemed so surreal to Ana. She was no longer living her own little life. She was a prisoner in someone else's. Yet on the other side of the door was her beloved Christian, and she simply had to force herself to muddle through the madness of it all just to reach him...touch him...gain comfort from him.

However, that path before her seemed so dreadfully long for Ana. For now, she had to fight her way through the bruising thrush of photographers and reporters, all clamoring at their own colleagues just to get a single glimpse - an angry shot - of the new woman in Christian Grey's life.

Thus was the new life of Anastasia Rose Steele, the face that launched a million hits or more on websites throughout the globe on that Friday morning in July...


	56. Chapter 56

_**Chapter Fifty-Six**_  
It was around four-thirty that afternoon when the key turned in the lock, and the sounds of simpering echoed from behind the closed door.

Kate Kavanagh was a mess. Her reddish blonde locks were piled sloppily on her head, her cheeks were puffy an her nose was red. And just as she stepped inside the living room, her day got just a little bit worse.

Ana sat in the center of the small couch with Christian and Carrick on each side. They were, in turn, flanked by both Sawyer and Taylor in the arm chairs on the opposite ends of the couch. As if on cue, all stood the moment that Kate entered the room.

Christian wanted to handle the situation all on his bullish own that afternoon; however, Carrick threatened to bow out as Ana's attorney unless he could follow them along as Ana made her exit. There were some serious allegations on the table, and one small screw-up could have destroyed the entire case.

Before Kate's arrival, he prepped Ana on what she could and couldn't say, all the while, placating his son's temper and threats to destroy everything from Kate's career to every last piece of furniture in the apartment.

"I just want you to know that I decided last weekend to move out of here. Today just facilitated everything. And I've packed only what's rightfully mine - things I brought with me from Washington, my photographs," Ana said, gesturing toward her suitcase and boxes of personal items that were stacked by the door, then added, "_my iPad_."

"Ana, please," Kate began, "can we have a moment alone?"

"I can't really speak to you right now, as there will be a lawsuit and charges pending," Ana continued, "but just know that there's absolutely nothing you could ever do to repair our friendship or to have a place in my life. And there's no going back."

"Ana, I got fired today," Kate screamed. "Isn't that enough?"

Far less than sympathetic, Ana didn't budge to Kate's sob story, having suffered through quite the harrowing afternoon herself. There wasn't just merely the storm of the paparazzi that she had to weather that afternoon. She simply couldn't go to work until this media frenzy calmed. Even Jeff insisted that she take a few days off - work from home - until she could return to her desk with some distant sense of normalcy.

"Not nearly, Kavanagh," Christian spat, much to the dismay of his father. "You'll never work in the business again...if _anywhere_..."

"_Son_..." Carrick rushed to shoot him an admonishing look from the corner of his eye and readied himself to reach over to hold Christian back.

"Again," Ana began, interrupting Christian in his quest for a showdown with Kate, "I've left all the clothes that I bought with the gift certificate you gave me," Ana moved on.

"Oh, just take them - keep them!"

"The bed, the linens and the furniture..."

"Stop it, Ana!" Kate raged. "Oh, just get the fuck out of here..."

Ana could only nod. There were no tears left to shed. "As you wish..."

Between Sawyer, Taylor and Christian, Ana's bags were in the elevator in just one trip. However, Ana turned around in the hallway, with Carrick at her side, and glared at Kate.

"You were my best friend. I trusted you to keep my confidence, just as I kept yours for four years, Kate," her words were so very calm, yet the chill in the air was bone-numbing. "You betrayed me on a level that I can't even begin to comprehend - and for no reason other than your own jealousy. I'm not a vengeful person, but I'm certain that Karma won't let you get away with this. And one day, you'll be so very sorry that you ever dared to cross me."

And as Christian held the door, waiting for Ana and his father, Kate called out, "You haven't heard the last of me, Grey. I'll take you and Ana and your whole family down before I'm done."

The doors closed on Kate's rancorous rant, and Ana fell against Christian, her head against his chest, depleted of every last ounce of energy in her body.

"Just do me a favor, kids - stay in this weekend," Carrick said. "_And don't e-mail each other_!"

# # #

The rain poured from the sky like a waterfall that early Friday evening, the heavy pellets pounding on the patio as Ana lounged in Christian's arms on the sofa with a glass of wine.

Her phone hadn't stopped ringing since Kate's story broke, and she was about to lose her last fraying nerve. As the first sip of Merlot trickled down her throat, Ana felt soothed by the smooth effects of the wine and the strong, steady pace of the showers.

Christian was a matter in and of his own. She allowed him the time he needed to blow off steam - screaming, pacing, pulling at his own hair and even breaking a vase in his rage. However, once again, Ana managed to wrangle and cage the tiger, mustering the energy to hold her own anger and temper over the latest doings of Katherine Agnes Kavanagh. Threatening to call his parents over also did wonders for his rage. Somehow, Anastasia Steele always had a way of manipulating Christian Grey's ever fluctuating moods and emotions.

Settled now, behind Ana on the couch, Christian made every effort to put aside his own anger, even if only for a short while. What he worried about most was Kate's new connection to Elena, but he didn't want to upset Ana any further than she already was. She was right - he needed to keep a cool head. At least for the moment. For the sake of litigation and for their collective sake as a couple.

For the first time since that morning, Ana had actually gathered the courage to check her e-mails that she had been afraid to read. Hounding messages and notes from the press aside, there was a note from her mother which she dreaded reading, several inquiries from her former classmates at Washington State (all of which she'd systematically delete), and one sure to be amusing missive from Elliot.

Decidedly, Ana, in her efforts to try to forget about their day for just a little while, thought she should start with a little humor. With that, she opened Elliot's e-mail, and snuggled closer to Christian so that he could read over her shoulder.

**_From: elliot grey_**  
**_Subject: like a virgin_**  
**_Date: July 12, 2013, 11:27_**  
**_To: anastasia steele_**

_yo penelope!_  
_some gripes with you today. first of all you put that awful song in my head. thanks babycakes!_

_next. i have suffered too many horrors at the hands of my baby brother over the last few weeks._

_would you two please be so kind and stop airing your dirty laundry - like LITERALLY - for the whole world to see? especially...ME._

_thirdly...is thirdly a word? just in case she tries to hack into your e-mail again tonight, i want her to know that she gives the WORSTEST blowjobs ever. and i know a thing or two about them._

_now, go put some underwear on! you're gonna get cold!_

_very sincerely,_  
_eg_  
_Elliot Grey_  
_PS THIS HAS BEEN A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOUR BOYFRIEND'S VERY VERY VERY CONCERNED BIG BROTHER!_

"Awww," Christian cooed, prompting Ana to whip her head around, glaring at him with her big blue eyes. "He really does _care_..."

"You two have such a delightful, yet strange relationship," Ana observed.

"All of my best relationships seem to be that way, Penelope," he teased. "Open Carla's. I'm still seething and ready for another fight..."

_**From: Carla Wilks**_  
_**Subject: Kate's Article**_  
_**Date: July 12, 2013, 10:43**_  
_**To: Anastasia Steele**_

_Hey, Stranger -_  
_Haven't heard from you since I left. I know - you're a busy girl._

_Why didn't you tell me that Kate was doing a story on you? That article is everywhere! Guess she's telling everyone to back off your man!_

_How are you and Christian? Call me soon!_  
_Love,_  
_Mom_

"I can't believe that the subject of her daughter's virginity was dragged through every major asinine news outlet in the country and that your image has been tarnished," Christian griped, smacking his palm against his forehead, "and she just thinks it's cool."

"Apparently, she's one of those people who believes that any press is good press..."

"Remember when I said that maybe we wouldn't have to see her until our first child arrives?" Christian asked. "Let's make that our _seventh_..."

"What if I don't want seven kids?" Ana asked.

"My point exactly, baby - I don't either..."

However, Ana's attempt to respond was thwarted by her ringing phone.

"Uh-oh..." Ana looked up at Christian with panicked eyes. "It's Ray."

Her step-father wasn't one to just pick up the phone for idle chit-chat. She knew immediately that he'd seen the article.

"Soften the blow and tell him we're visiting next weekend," Christian said, taking her iPad from her hands. "Meanwhile, let me respond to your mother. Under no circumstances do I want her connecting with Kate."

"We're going to Washington?" Ana asked as her thumb tapped against the answer option on her phone. "I guess we are. Hey, Ray..."

"Annie, Annie, Annie..." that deep, comforting voice eased into her ear, warming her like a cup of hot cocoa. "You having a rough day, sweetie?"

"You have no idea how much I miss you right now," Ana said. "So I guess you saw it?"

"Went into Clayton's Hardware today to pick up some nails," Ray said. "And I ran into Paul - he told me. And that's about the same time that my phone rang with a reporter from the _Seattle Times_ on the other end."

"Oh, shit..."

"When did you start swearing? What's going on with you in that city?" Ray asked, but she could hear his teasing tone ringing through. "Don't worry, I hung up on the reporter. And Paul seemed a little sad..."

There had been a raging debate that Paul Clayton harbored a crush on Ana throughout the four years she worked for his father. However, Ana had absolutely no interest in him and stealthily dodged his advances at every turn.

"I'm sorry, Ray," Ana said. her guilt trickling through her voice. She had no idea the press would hound her own family. "I hate that you've been dragged into this now, too."

"Annie, I'm a tough old man," he told her, "I can take it. I just don't like the things she said about my little girl..."

While her own chagrin nearly strangled her as her thoughts raced back to the sexual skew of the article, Ana was thankful that she didn't have to look Ray in the eye at that moment.

"Right now, I just want to know where you are and that you're safe," Ray said. "I couldn't imagine you'd still be staying with that awful girl. You know, Annie, I've always told you - I never liked her..."

"I'm fine," Ana said and gave Christian's hand a squeeze. "I'm...I'll be staying with Christian."

"So you're - moving in with him?"

"Yeah, Ray," she hesitantly admitted. "I am."

"I'd feel a lot better right now if I knew this Christian Grey guy," Ray said.

"How would you like to meet him next weekend?" Ana suggested.

"Annie, I told you before you left," Ray sighed, "I am not coming to New..."

"_We_ were thinking of coming to see _you._.."

There was silence on the line. Matters of the heart left Ray flustered, especially when Ana was concerned. She was still a baby when he met Carla, and Ray never thought of anything but to raise her as his own. He taught her how to fish, how to shoot a gun, and how to defend herself with some of his old Army maneuvers. Now, she could easily dress herself up in evening gowns and expensive jewelry and attend fancy parties with her billionaire boyfriend, but to Raymond Steele, little Annie was just his beloved tomboy, tugging at her daddy's jeans as they headed off into the woods together.

"Annie, that's...well, that would be wonderful," he said at last. "Does he fish?"

"Yes, Ray..." Ana smiled and rolled her eyes, then looked to Christian to catch his knowing smile. "He fishes..."

"A city boy who fishes," Ray mused. "This could get interesting..."

"Might give you a run for your money, Ray..."

"I don't know about _that_, Annie," he said. "But listen, I'm just glad to hear that you're safe - and that you're away from Kate. And don't let anyone get you down. You're a smart girl, and you're going to do great things with your life. You always make me proud."

Raymond Steele truly was the best step-father a girl could ask for. "Listen, I'll be in touch this week, and I'll let you know when we'll be arriving."

"Sounds good."

"One last thing," Ana said. "I love you, old man..."

"Love you, too, Annie...be careful over there..."

Turning in Christian's arms as she ended the call, she smiled up at him. "Ray hung up on the _Seattle Times_."

Tossing his head back, Christian chuckled. "I've just decided that I love him almost as much as I love his daughter, baby."

"I think it means a lot that we're going to see him," Ana said. "He's a bit of a brute, but he's one big softie underneath his exterior. Kinda like someone else I know..."

"I have no idea who you could possibly be talking about, Miss Steele..."

"It means a lot to me, too," Ana took his hand, "that we're going'"

"Ana, my love, you're teaching me how to date here," Christian smiled. "Going out to dinners, taking walks - meeting parents...this is a whole new world to me."

"Can't say I've done much of that either," Ana said. "Looks like we're learning together here."

"What if we both screw this up?" Christian pondered, his eyes teasing.

"Then we can't blame each other," Ana answered.

"Fair point, well made again, baby," he said, touching his wine glass to hers.

"I do agree with your father, though," Ana began, "and I think we should try to stay out of trouble this weekend."

"It's supposed to rain for the next two days," Christian said. "But I think we can find all sorts of trouble to get into right in this penthouse. And I still haven't punished you for last Saturday."

"Promises, promises, Mr. Grey," Ana said, and leaned back against him with her wine to watch the rain through the French doors as it continued to fall upon the terrace.

"Need I remind you, Miss Steele that it was indeed you who fell asleep last Saturday," he murmured lazily, just enjoying this feeling of nearness on the couch with her.

"So punish me!" she insisted. Begged.

"Ana, it's been a very long day, and this wine is relaxing me a bit too much right now," he reminded her. "For what I have in mind for you, we both need to be focused. Besides, I think I spent enough time in the ER this week with Olivia on Monday after that tussle with Botox Bitch."

"So you have plans for me?" Ana pressed him, a bit giggly in her anticipation from the wine.

"Oh, I do, indeed, Miss Steele," he assured her. "But you'll have to wait until tomorrow."

Her shoulders shrugged with her pouty sigh. "Sassy Ana is not happy, Kind Sir..."

"Sassy Ana," he said, his voice growing just a shade of darker gray as he poked his hips against her behind, "won't even have her vanilla ice cream tonight if she keeps that up..."

"How you tease, Mr. Grey..."

"Perhaps, Ana," he breathed, "but you love it..."


	57. Chapter 57

_**Chapter Fifty-Seven**_  
The sight of Ana as he opened the playroom door the following afternoon - kneeling on the carpet before him just as he'd instructed, naked and bowed in deference to him, that silky hail draped over her bare shoulders and back, the curve of her hips, that wiggling little ass - left Christian both breathless and speechless.

Oh, what he wanted and needed to do to her - for her - within the confines of this room. However, Christian, as always, had to remind himself that she was so very new to this lifestyle - that he needed to take extra caution and precautions with his precious darling. She loved him, but she reveled in the pain almost a little too much. While he adored nothing more than taking her just a step farther with every scene, he exerted his greatest care and concern for her well-being and enjoyment along the way, indulging her just enough but not too much.

That afternoon, however, he dared himself to test her limits.

"Good girl." He placed his hand over the top of her head, his palm resting gently there. "Now, it seems you're missing something here, so sit for me."

Slowly, Ana did just that, careful to keep her back and shoulders so very tight and straight, with her breasts and her nipples pointing straight to Christian. However, she didn't dare lift her head.

"If only you were as good at following the rules outside the playroom as you are within, Anastasia..." he said, lifting her chin with his fingers. Her eyes brightened as did her smile when she saw her glittering collar in his hand. "We wouldn't have to have a punishment this afternoon before we play..."

Quickly, her smile faded to that ever pouting frown she seemed to wear every time they played. For Christian, the effects were nearly as engaging as when Ana bit her lip. A novice, yet she understood how to portray her role so very well.

"Your collar is a privilege, Anastasia," he reminded her. "And I'm not so sure you deserve to wear it today."

"Oh, please, Kind Sir," she beseeched.

"Only well-behaved submissives get rewarded, Anastasia," he taunted, then turned to place the diamond and sapphire necklace on the dresser behind him. "And you were so very misbehaved when I took you out last Saturday."

"Yes, Sir, I was a very bad, sassy Ana," she admitted, her bottom lip quivering.

"How can I possibly take you anywhere when you can't even comprehend the consequences of your own actions? Do I need to ground you?"

"No, Sir..."

"One more fuck up like that, and consider yourself grounded, understand?" he asked. "No drinks with the Grey girls, no talking on the phone to Jillian at night...no television..."

"I understand, Sir."

"Now, as I endeavored to impart last week - before you fell asleep, which we'll address in a bit here - you cannot interfere when I'm playing a scene with you. It's a stupid move," he berated. "And it's dangerous. You don't know how everything works yet, Anastasia. Yes, it was only a tiny vibrator that you tried to stop, but as we move forward, there are situations where you could seriously hurt yourself if you try to fuck around again like that. Do you get any of what I'm trying to impart to you here?"

Immediately, she nodded. "I do, Sir."

"Use your safewords - that's why we have them," he reminded her. "But don't ever try to put a stop to a scene yourself ever again."

"Yes, Sir."

"Next, Anastasia, you landed us in the gossip pages again - and I'm not talking about that little whore's story," he said. "I'm talking about the photo of you with your hands down my pants."

"In your pockets," Ana's tiny voice dared to squeak out, "if I may stand corrected, Sir."

"Five more for that bit of sass. We're now up to fifteen cracks. And add another five for falling asleep mid-punishment."

"That's now twenty, Sir."

"I can count, Anastasia," he bit back at her. "And let's add five more for good measure, shall we? That makes it twenty-five."

"Twenty-five, Sir..."

"Now, follow me, and we'll proceed with your punishment..."

Christian led her to a far-off corner of the vast playroom, where what looked like a primitive all-steel, elliptical trainer to Ana sat. It was one of the many pieces in in the Red Room of Pain that Ana had no idea what to discern of its possible purpose. Caught up again in her own curiosity, she couldn't resist stepping closer to examine the peculiar...device.

"They're stocks, Anastasia," he explained. "You'll be shackled at the neck, your wrists and your ankles. Padlocked in place. And I've got the only key..."

Warily, she minded him, her lips gaping, but all the while minding that tortuous tickle catching hold between her legs. Bound, she would be - fully and completely - and left immobile to withstand Christian's freakish fancies. The mere notion seared a white hot desire throughout her entire body.

"Are you ready, Anastasia?"

"Oh, yes, Sir..."

Taking her hand, he helped her to step on to the two tiny foot platforms, before easing her forward to rest her wrists, then her neck, in the appropriate holds. Painstakingly, he closed the cuffs around her, locking her into position and checking each for her safety before closing the shackles around her ankles - leaving her legs spread and bent ever so slightly at the waist, extending her ass toward him.

Prostrate, she squirmed just a bit, knowing that he was watching her every move from behind indulging in this exposure. The metal was cold against her skin as she dared to move as slightly as the restraints would allow her.

"Oh, Anastasia..." he mused. "I don't even have to touch you to know that you've got a waterfall between your legs right now..."

His mockery only left her longing again. She couldn't even close her legs to attempt to nudge away the sexual strain between them. Ana was indeed at his absolute mercy.

"Now, Anastasia," Christian said, walking around the stocks so that he could face her, his hands so conspicuously behind his back. "You keep telling me how you want so much more. Well, this afternoon, I hope you're prepared..."

"I am prepared, Sir..."

From behind he swung his arm out with a dramatic flair, revealing a short whip of braided fine black leather, tapering from its sturdy handle to the small tail at the extremity.

Against the holds, she struggled, her bottom wiggling all the while.

"I'll be kind and start with my hand to warm you up since this is a first, Anastasia," he said. "Five at a time. We'll switch to the whip at eleven. Understand?"

"Yes, Sir..." she managed, her feet trying so desperately to pull against their bondage.

"Maybe you'll learn to use your safewords rather than trying to stop a scene on your own now," he said. "Now, steady yourself, Anastasia. I want to get this over with. We have more important things to do this afternoon..."

"I'm ready, Sir..."

Oh, how she missed that familiar feel of the heat from the sting, burning already as his wallops covered her ass, cracking her at a steady pace. The prickling force of his palm filed her with utter delight as he colored her backside rosy. How much Ana had missed his hand! With each swat, she fought against her own fading self-control. Coming now, with all of the practice time she'd put in fighting her greedy need for release, was simply not an option.

However, the first act was over far too soon for Ana's liking and left her wrists in greater pain from her own resistance than her backside.

"Good girl - you're proving to me that you have some willpower for a change here," he said, his fingers smoothing over his handiwork. "Are we at green?"

"Green, Sir," her strangled voice called out to him.

"Now, this is going to feel nothing like my hand, Anastasia," he warned. "But I've been so gentle with you - and gentle punishments just aren't working here. And for fuck's sake, use your safewords if you need to..."

"I promise, Sir..."

With a fastidious flip of his hand, he cracked the whip mid-air...once...twice...then a third time just gauge his own swing. The mishap with the wooden spoon was still all too fresh in his mind, and he wanted to make certain he had a handle on himself before he dared to strike Ana.

Bracing herself as best she could within her restraints, Ana took in a deep breath and held it in her wait. This, she knew, wasn't going to tickle.

However, his first thwack left Ana surprised, as the leather just lapped across her bare ass, and she sighed almost with relief. Fourteen more to go

In each swing, Christian exuded a rougher, yet always targeted, blow, growing more intense with each slice through the air as it struck her backside, piercing just a little harsher with every whack. With the first five completed, he took a step back and rubbed his hands over the leather bites over her ass, as Ana whimpered all the while.

"Color, Anastasia?"

"Yellow, Sir..." she said quickly, her voice filled with certainty, giving Christian the go-ahead he needed to proceed.

The flogging was indeed intense against her already sore skin, but Christian's subtle build as he unleashed this new pain upon her allowed Ana to settle again into the exquisite pleasure she drew from their play. With every crack, Ana fell further into his thrall, and remained at yellow as he continued on with the final five strikes, biting over her hips, stinging the tops of her thighs.

Harder and harder with every wield, he marked her, branding her as his own, but mindful all the while of her movements, her simpering cries, her body language. Ana was still far too new to this lifestyle, and he needed to be able to stop immediately if he sensed even a second of genuine discomfort. Yes, his intent was to punish, but he also had hopes that she would allow this regimen again in the future. He certainly didn't want to add the whip to her list of hard limits.

When at last he'd finished, fifteen perfect lashes striped her bare ass against the backdrop of the prints of his palm. The artistry of Christian's painful design upon her skin certainly would put Jackson Pollack to shame.

"Good girl, Anastasia," he commended, patting her stinging bottom with the same hand he'd just used to spank her.

It was, however, her begging that brought this scene to a whole new level, erasing any doubts that Christian had over her pleasure of this new ritual.

"_So good, Sir_..." she cried. "_Please...let me come_..."

"No, Anastasia," his voice now soothed, "this is punishment. You're not going to have that privilege reinstated for quite some time this afternoon, so you better prepare your little g-spot now..."

"_Oh, Sir_..."

"That is, if you're still willing to play today?" he asked, already knowing her answer.

"Of course, Sir..."

"How do you feel? Are you in too much pain right now?"

"Just...stings, Sir..."

"Does this feel better?" His hands cupped her bare ass, kneading a heavy glob of aloe vera lotion against her tender flesh.

"Mmmmm...good..._good_," she murmured. "Thank you, Kind Sir..."

Bending down, he followed his hands with his lips, caressing and kissing her wounds. "I didn't like to have to do this, Anastasia," he whispered, "but I'm hoping you learned your lesson..._again_..."

"I won't interfere, Sir...ever...again..."

"You better not fall asleep in the middle of a punishment ever again either, Anastasia," he warned, "or the consequences will even be greater..."

"I love you, Sir..." she said suddenly.

"I love you, too, baby, but you're still a naughty little girl..."

"Naughty...Sassy...Ana..."

"Alright, Naughty Sassy Ana...you've had enough of a little break here," he said, and pushed back on his heels to stand upright. "And Kind Sir is not nearly finished with you this afternoon..."


	58. Chapter 58

**AN:** I just wanted to take a moment to thank those who left _kind_ comments yesterday, accepting the story and the characters _as I've written them._

I almost pulled this whole thing last night, but I have decided to continue on to develop this tale as I initially sought to do.

And I appreciate those of you who will follow along on the rest of this journey with me - through the drama, angst and in and out of Red Room of Pain.

_**Chapter Fifty-Eight**_  
"You look so beautiful like that, Anastasia," he said, walking in a circle around her, making sure to check on her neck, her wrists and her ankles. "I think I'm going to continue our play just as you are - confined, yet so bare to me."

"May I wear my collar now, Sir?" she asked timidly.

"No, Anastasia," his voice echoing with frustration. "What part of punishment aren't you understanding here?"

"I love my collar, Sir..."

"I know you do," he said, "which is exactly why you're not allowed to wear it right now."

While Ana whimpered, muttering about her collar, Christian continued on. "We're going to play a little game, and we're going to see how well you do with trust today..."

"I trust you already, Kind Sir."

"This is a new kind of trust, Anastasia," he began, "that far surpasses any of the games we've played in the past."

Pulling at her wrists and ankles, Ana moaned, so anxious to see how his latest challenge would unfold.

"This game involves both trust - and communication," he continued. "On your part and mine."

Already spanked and whipped, her sexual rush was in overdrive as she felt herself sinking further into that blissful little alternate reality to where Christian alone could take her. "Yes, Sir..."

"Now, very early on, we discussed what options we might explore if your lines of communication were cut off," he began. "Do you remember, Anastasia?"

"You said you would check in with me, Kind Sir," Ana managed. "Squeeze your hand..."

"Good girl," he said, clearly impressed. "And today, we're going to do just that. While you're shackled. I'm going to impair your senses, and then I'm going to fill all of your little holes..."

"Fill...fill my holes, Sir?" she struggled once more, trying to kick her feet.

"Every last one, Anastasia..." From behind, he leaned his neck around to kiss her nose. "...except for your nostrils. You need to breathe..."

"_All of them_, Sir?" she asked again.

"Yes, Anastasia," he murmured, tracing his finger from her clit all the way up the crack of her ass. "_Even this one_..."

When he pressed just the tip of his pinky finger against her virgin hole, Ana shivered, tightening up her backside, stirring with not panic but anticipation. Suddenly, Ana was so very thankful for the restraints as she nearly collapsed at his touch against her. Oh, how she needed him...in ways she'd never imagined.

"Don't worry, baby," he soothed. "We'll start out small, and I'll make sure you're well oiled before I even try..."

"Well oiled, Sir...?"

"Lube, Anastasia," he said, stroking her bare bottom and feeling the whip marks against his fingertips. They were definitive, but nothing like he'd ever wielded in the past. Ana's pleasure was far too important to him. "We've never had to use it before, but there's a first time for everything..."

"Yes - first time, Kind Sir..."

"Now..." He drew back and moved around to her front to face her, bending down slightly so that he could see her desire-cloaked blue eyes, then took her left hand in his. "Listen to me, Anastasia. You need to pay attention to me right now."

"Yes, Sir, I'm listening."

"Squeeze just once for Red, and twice for Yellow. If you're fine, and we're at green, don't do anything. Understand?"

"Yes, Sir...one for red...two for yellow..." she pumped his hand once, then twice accordingly. "Nothing for green...Sir..."

"Good, good naughty girl..." He loved watching her unwind every time he uttered those words. "Now, I'm going to gag you...I'm going to blindfold you...and then I'm going to plug your little ears."

"Filling my holes, Sir..."

"_All of them_, Anastasia," he promised. "Now, this might look frightening, but it's actually quite comfortable...so just relax...relax, my sweet baby..."

He held up some sort of harness before her eyes. Studying the apparatus with her ever quizzical eyes, Ana didn't know what to make of the little red rubber ball...the thick but soft-appearing leather straps and buckles...and the blindfold?

"It's a mask...with a_ ball gag._.."

_Oh, so __**that**__ explained it_! Ana couldn't help but sigh with relief. She was wondering for a moment which hole he planned to fill with it.

"I've been telling you that we need to practice gagging you," he said. "And we already know you're quite fond of being blindfolded..."

With a small smile, she murmured, "Yes, I am, Sir..."

"I'm going to gag you now, then blindfold you," he said, his voice ever calculating. "Then we'll check in to make sure the straps aren't too tight over your precious little head. And then..."

"Then, what, Sir?"

"Then I'll insert the ear plugs..."

Christian was truly eliminating her senses, one by one.

Holding the ball up to her open lips, he commanded softly, "Bite...ahhh, good girl..." With just as much ease, he pulled the blindfold over her closed eyes, carefully maneuvering it into a comfortable position, then adjusted the icy-cold metal buckles to fit the harness with perfection around her head.

Ana could feel his hand close around hers, and she was careful not to move. All was green and a go.

Lips at her ear, Christian suckled her lobe and reminded her, "Once for Red, twice for Yellow..." He swallowed hard and stifled a groan. "You may come when you need to...and I love you, baby..."

He pressed the soft plug into her ear, then moved to attend to the other, again taking her lobe into his mouth and nibbling gently before completely closing off her ability to hear him.

Then...he stepped away...

Only mere sounds, stressed and guttural, muffled against the gag. She couldn't speak. She was trapped - wanting to react, wanting to touch him - but she was helpless. Struggling, she pulled at her own hands, fighting to break free, yet all the while, she couldn't escape the sensual clutches of Christian Grey. The shocking blend of fear and arousal left her unhinged, while her imagination began to run wild with delicious scenarios.

In fact, Ana had no idea if he was still even in the room. Hands, legs and neck secured, tongue silenced, eyesight blinded, hearing blocked...she was at his complete mercy, allowing him to do whatever he saw fit to her body.

No, she reasoned suddenly, her Fifty would never leave her like this. She knew undoubtedly that he would take every last precaution to keep her safe. Allowing her to falter wasn't in his master game plan.

This was undoubtedly the new brand of trust he needed to establish between them.

All the while, Christian slung back - watching her, contemplating as he willed his cool to return before he continued on with the scene.

He was initially thinking he'd use the tiniest rubber anal vibrator, but his own greed kicked in. He wanted to feel her first anal orgasm - which he was absolutely certain they could accomplish - for _himself_. Taking her hand, just in case the strain against her most sensitive skin would prove to be too much, he stepped behind her once again.

She could feel first the warmth of the lubricant soothing against her most delicate skin as his fingers massaged her tiny little, last unfilled hole. The slight pressure of his fingertip pressed against her, gently nudging forward.

Little did she realize that Christian was behind her, fretting every second that she'd get nervous, tighten up and squeeze his hand.

Easily, he wedged his pinky inside, just a bit, up to the first joint. He paused only a moment to gauge her reaction, then inched further, wiggling this time. She tightened around him, but didn't flinch - didn't clutch her fingers around his.

Ana hoped he was far from finished with her, and as she waited, she could feel the muscles in her backside tautening with each passing second. He was merely teasing her with his finger, and she found herself so devilishly shocked that she wanted more.

Willing herself to relax, to accept, she felt his thrust deepen just slightly, so painstakingly slow, centimeter by centimeter. Christian, of course, minded her reaction all the while. The tension left her shoulders. The struggling had ceased.

He hoped that behind the gag Ana was smiling.

Ana had anticipated pain, but this new experience offered her something very pleasantly different. She felt so open - so bare - to him as he continued to penetrate her with every ounce of caution he could muster. Almost agonizing from his seemingly leisurely, yet steady manipulation, she pressed back against him ever so slightly, until she felt the length of his finger nestled completely within.

Christian pulled in a ragged breath, as he paused for a moment, waiting for her signal him, warning him to stop. But Ana's hand never pulsed.

Leaving his pinky finger in place, he released her hand for just a moment to adjust the condom, then with the utmost caution nudged himself inside her waiting, slippery tunnel, essentially doing just as he had promised - filling her completely.

Once deep within, he stopped, smoothed his hand over her bare bottom, then reached for her fingers once more. How he hoped that the feeling of absolute fullness wouldn't be too much for her.

Never before had she felt so taut, so tight, and every new sensation left her raw with a desperate need for more. She could feel the familiar tug at her heightened senses building within as he began to thrust ever so slowly...and the fluttering feeling she discovered as her muscles continued to clench his finger, guiding her ever closer to oblivion.

Looking down at his very own creation, his finger buried inside her thoroughly whipped ass and his cock so slowly moving in and out of her very hungry center, he continued his simulation, working her into a complete frenzy from front to back. Her muffled moans against the ball gag in her mouth only heightened his desires, and once again, Christian had to remind himself to keep a check on his own control, which was fading far too fast for his liking as he watched her move and grind against him.

So synchronized in their climb to the peaks of exhilaration, her entire body heaved, trembling in the midst of ripple after ripple. Her delicate skin quivering and quaking around his finger, she felt the power of this double-orgasm from front to back, meeting together for an electrifying jolt somewhere in the middle. Tears stung in her eyes - not from pain, but from the pure rush of her feelings for this man - as the overwhelming flurry of exquisite pleasure consumed her entirely.

Christian's own gratification surprised him, coming so hard that his release left him nothing short of absolutely rattled. Never in his life had he felt such an emotive connection to anyone at that very moment. Never...ever...before Anastasia Steele.

When at last he shook off the final moments of his own pleasure, he looked down at her, so limp like a rag doll within the stocks. He had to pull away - first his finger, then his cock - if only to free her, take care of her, make her feel so very safe again.

First, he unfastened each buckle on the harness, then eased the blindfold over her tearstained face before he tugged at the gag clenched between her teeth then pulled each plug from her ears.

"You alright, my precious baby?" he whispered, his lips caressing hers.

Ana nodded lazily, still held within the confines of the neck hold. "Your eyes..." she murmured.

"What about them, baby?"

"Just like the other day..." she gasped. "...when you were crying..."

He could pull absolutely nothing past Anastasia Rose Steele.

"You were crying, too," he quickly pointed out, his smile so sweet and tender. "Got a little emotional there, didn't we?"

"Always, my love..." she whispered. "Always..."

"Are you hurting, baby?"

She smiled, brightening the room and illuminating his entire day. "Nope." Ana giggled before she added, "Kind Sir."

As he uncuffed each wrist, he kissed each one at her pulse points, then moved behind her to unshackle her ankles. "Just relax, baby..." he soothed.

His fingers kneaded against her shoulders, with a follow up from his lips before he eased her away from the stocks and helped her to step down to the carpet. He was still dressed, but his polo shirt was wrinkled in a circle about his waist - and he'd only bothered to close the button on his fly, leaving his zipper wide open.

"So how was your first anal orgasm?" he asked.

"Beautiful, Kind Sir..." she answered, with that hazy look of absolute passion still cloaking her face, giggling all the while. "Different...ticklish almost...but beautiful..."

"Now how about those trust issues?" he murmured against her hair.

"You kept your promises...held my hand..." she whispered. "You didn't leave me..._wouldn't_ leave me..."

"Never, baby," he said. "I would never leave you..."

Ana couldn't resist her own temptation to reach for the hem of his shirt with her fingers. "Off, please, Kind Sir?"

"In time, my sweet baby..." he whispered in agreement and pulled her against him and into his arms in one sweeping movement, leaving her feet dangling above the floor. "But let's get you into bed first."

With the utmost grace, he placed Ana in the center of the huge four-poster bed, then stripped himself of his own clothes that landed in a heap on the floor with his shoes and socks. As always, he had so many things to do before he could crawl in beside her, grabbing this and that to comfort her before they could dare snuggle.

"On your belly, Ana," he said, sneaking in beside her. "I roughed you up a little..."

Christian couldn't stop himself from staring for a few moments at the rainbow of colors fanning over her sweet little bottom. Yes, he was far kinder to her than any other woman he'd been with, but this was his beloved Ana...and he needed so desperately to make her understand the pleasure that huddled beneath the depths of his darkest desires.

"Oh, Sir..." Ana giggled against the pillow beneath her, feeling a slight sting yet oh so very ticklish. "What _are_ you doing now?"

"Hemorrhoid cream, my loving baby...just in case..." he laughed. "Followed up by your favorite brand of diaper ointment..."

"And kisses, please...Kind Sir...?"

"Oh, my baby..." he bent over her, mouth traveling up the line of her backbone and her neck before catching her lips against his, "...lots...of _kisses_..."

"Christian...?" she whispered.

"Ana...?" He rubbed his stubbly cheek against her shoulder.

"More, please, Kind Sir...?" she pleaded, squiggling against him. "My...um...my ass, please?"

"I need to work with you on anal plugs first," he promised, picking up each hand to examine the strains from the shackles before turning toward her ankles. The slight marks from her pulling and tugging would fade so very quickly, he knew, as his hands massaged and kneaded her extremities so delicately. "But for now, my finger will have to suffice until I feel you're ready."

"So careful, Kind Sir..."

"That's because I love you, my sweetest."

Ana turned to face him, capturing his face in her hands. "I love you, too, Mr. Grey..."


	59. Chapter 59

**AN:** I want to thank everyone for all of the wonderful support for this story. Your words and PMs have really meant a lot to me, and I am so appreciative to everyone who took the time to write. Really, you have no idea how very much each and every note meant to me. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you.

I am continuing with this story. As I said, I had a vision for Christian and Ana as a couple. Within the realm of a passionate, romantic relationship, Ana submits to him completely. I have tried to remain consistent and to illustrate that a relationship can indeed be a fully committed, loving journey between two people who just happen to enjoy a bit of kink. And I have been very open about that element to the story from the very beginning.

I am not going to waver on that storyline. Ana's submission to Christian is the crux of this story. There will be more punishments and trips to the RROP. They will have further hardships along the way. However, the love they share as a couple will always be the first, last and final backdrop to their tale and their concern for each other will always prevail.

_**And rest assured, there will be a Happily Ever After. And there will be absolutely no cheating in this story.**_

With that being said, I can also tell you that it's quite painful when you've poured your heart and time into writing a story to the best of your ability, only to be trashed for writing a different kind of romance. I've been called some names. I've had to defend my characters and plot. And I've even shed a few tears over the last few days. I can only hope that people will take the time to think about the person who's writing and their feelings before they attack.

Constructive criticism is always welcome on my end. And I think a lot of you know that I'm always happy to clarify if there's confusion over a scene or a chapter. In fact, in talking with a couple of readers, I found that they needed some closure on a couple of issues. That chapter will be forthcoming.

However, to simply take a stab at me personally because you don't like the direction or tone of the story is just sophomoric and hurtful, especially if you have a need to tear someone's personal character apart - chapter after chapter. Vile guest "reviews" won't even get you the attention you're seeking because I'll just delete them.

And if you don't like this particular story, there are thousands of others out there for your enjoyment. It won't hurt my feelings if you pass this one by. And none of us are getting paid to do this. We simply enjoy sharing with our readers.

Again, I want to thank everyone for their time and unwavering support of this story. And I do hope you'll continue to read my vision.

Now, let's just move on with some old-fashioned Kate Hate. We'll start back up today with a short chapter. Kate's POV.  
xx  
bb

_**Chapter Fifty-Nine**_  
It was sweltering in that cement cell as the NYPD officer escorted Katherine Agnes Kavanagh to her new temporary digs at Central Booking in the heart of Chinatown that following Wednesday morning. Stench from the nearby fish markets wafted through the barred windows, and lingered in the July heat of that little room that she now called her own.

Booked, fingerprinted, stripped of her possessions, Kate slowly made her way over to what couldn't even be considered a cot, just to sit down for a little while she awaited news on her father's arrival with bail. She'd been served a warrant while she sat stuffing her face with chips and watching reality television with Jonathan, hauled off on her own to face her arraignment and now tossed into the forest with a pack of wild and rabid bears closing in on all sides.

It wasn't the libel case that she was worried about - it was the charges pending against her for snooping into Ana's e-mail that ultimately led her to this cell. Her trust fund could cover most, if not all, of whatever damages Ana might ultimately win from a civil suit against her; however, her worst fear was that she'd land a prison sentence if she were found guilty of tampering with Ana's iPad and procuring her racy little note from Christian. She had every intention of pleading not guilty. Her father could work his magic against Carrick Grey and assemble a team that would topple his case, she was certain. Not even Christian and his mega-gazillions could land her in jail.

Kate felt as if she had to throw up, but the idea of using a toilet that was exposed for anyone passing by to see left her so very rattled...afraid.

Behind another set of bars, the muffled, painful sounds of someone coming down from some sort of binge echoed throughout the cell block, while the other common criminals conversed with each other through the gates.

"What are you in for?"

"Robbed some guy on the subway...at gunpoint...how 'bout you?"

"Knifed my sister when I caught her in bed with my Baby Daddy..."

"What about that little rich girl over there? What's she in for?"

"Some white collar shit."

"Gotta get to her soon before her daddy bails her ass out."

"Heh-heh...show her what jail time's all about..."

In that hot cell, Kate began to shiver and pulled the paper-thin sheet around herself. _Fuck you, Christian Grey...this is all your fault_.

Left alone with nothing but her own creeping thoughts, Kate Kavanagh would only ever admit to herself just how she longed to insert herself into the enigmatic life of Christian Grey. In fact, she'd been plotting for quite some time as to how she might use her guile to capture his attention. He did, after all, have everything she needed - tremendous wealth, status and a family that was so very well connected within the tapestry of New York society.

Kate met Christian two summers prior, although she was certain he didn't remember their first conversation. She was a mere nineteen years old and home from college with absolutely nothing to do but tag along to the next party. All too quickly, Kate discovered that Mercy Hospital was Christian's charity of choice, and she made certain to land an invitation to every last fundraising event on behalf of the facility.

Perhaps he missed the clues, she thought back now, or just outright ignored her advances. With so many women fawning all over him, he likely had become immune to all flirtations.

When she'd finally devised what she thought to be the perfect plan to snare some time alone with the young billionaire, Christian rebuffed her interview requests time and again. A year had passed, allotting her anger plenty of time to fester. Ana's arrival in New York only poured gas all over the already burning fire within Kate's cruel soul.

There was a time that she did need Ana's company, if for no other reason than her mere frumpy little presence always made Kate the shining star. Ana was boring, quite simply put, with nothing much to discuss but the tattered old books on her shelves. She certainly didn't have the money to invest in beauty or her wardrobe either, which, Kate reasoned, made herself look all the better standing next to Ana. And living on her own on the other side of the country throughout her four years of college, she needed a dependable source to always have her back and stroke her ego. Anastasia Steele was just the perfect fit for that role.

With so much time alone to think in that cell, Kate allowed her rage to claim her last ounce of energy.

It nearly choked Kate to think that silly little backwoods Ana had sunk her claws into Christian. Kate had attempted her best to dissuade Ana from going out with him, but at the same time, she wondered if Ana might just be her "in." Certainly, she thought, the more time Christian spent around both of them, he'd realize that _she_ was the better fit for his life. However, her plan backfired again, and he seemed ever so smitten by that homely little brunette.

While Kate just didn't understand his attraction at all to her former roommate, her jealousy continued to smolder silently within as she pondered how they spent their time on their dates, what they discussed when they were alone, what it felt like to be fucked by him...

And she knew damn well that Anastasia Steele was fucking Christian Grey. The thought filled Kate with villainous thoughts. How he could ever muster the arousal to stick it to such a little hayseed while she was more than willing to give him everything and more just left her flummoxed. Ana had nothing but that dopey little smile of innocence going for her. Christian needed someone stronger - a real woman who truly understood his place in the upper-echelons in society, someone he could take to fancy dinners and galas and then bang all night once they got home.

Yet Ana's presence in his life seemed to only fuel his anger toward her all the more. Kate was certain that Ana had it out for her immediately after meeting Christian. She'd closed down lines of communication and spent nearly every waking moment with him just to avoid their girl-time alone together.

Perhaps Ana wasn't as naive as she once thought. In fact, she was likely calculating every single move she made, anchoring her hold on Christian just to shove Kate out of the picture for good. Ana put rancorous thoughts in his head about her, Kate reasoned. She told him how horrible and mean her roommate was just to make sure that he never looked Kate's way. Ana knew that Kate was the better fit, and she had to maintain the upper hand with Christian in every and any way she could.

A fine sloppy second in Elliot Grey would have satisfied Kate. He was a bit of a dope, but he certainly had the cash and the connections Kate craved. However, Elliot clearly wanted commitment from no one - even after she thrilled him like no other woman ever could with her fellatio talents in the guest house.

Kate's final hope to gain entry into the Grey clan was through Mia. Now, though, she was certain that Mia's allegiance to her older brother would certainly put the stops on any potential friendship Kate might attempt to strike up. She also seemed to really enjoy spending time with Ana, too, which Kate just found all too peculiar. Mia had it all. Certainly she had better things to do than hang out with her brother's boring girlfriend.

However, in spite of everything, Kate wasn't yet ready to give up so easily, even as she sat in that miserable cell with only the voices of hardened criminals for company. She just had to concoct another route to the demise of Ana's relationship with Christian.

Elena Lincoln seemed like quite the willing accomplice. In fact, she was more than eager to help Kate with her story by throwing out a juicy quote. Kate made a mental note to reach out to her once the storm of her arraignment settled a bit.

"Kavanagh?" the guard called out. "Kavanagh?"

After nearly jumping off the cot, she then hobbled over to the gate, but kept a slight distance. Wary of everyone, she feared getting hurt. In fact, her only solace in the last couple of hours had been the time to really think about how to proceed next with Christian Grey.

"Your father just posted bail for you," the guard said.

Tears flooded her ever-green eyes, and a single sob rocked her body. Of course, Daddy posted bail. Daddy always took care of her! And one day, Kate vowed, Christian Grey would, too.

First, however, she had to remove Anastasia Steele ever so systematically from his life...


	60. Chapter 60

_**Chapter Sixty **_  
It was quite a far stretch from the skyline of New York City to the rolling hills of Montesano, Washington, and it was the first time Ana had ever been in a car with Christian in the driver's seat. He'd picked up a sleek Audi R8 at SEATAC, where they'd touched down that Friday afternoon, and quickly, his daredevil ways kicked in as soon as they hit the highway.

They'd decidedly left everything behind - paparazzi, litigation, emotional turmoil and all - when they boarded the GEH corporate jet in New York, vowing to forget about their draining week for the next two days. The press had been all over Kate's arraignment, and now that Ana's identity had been revealed, those gossip hounds just continued to clamor. This weekend was perfectly timed for a quick slip out of the city.

A quaint little town bordering on the Chehalis River with spectacular natural views, Montesano - all eleven square miles of it - was nearly a two hour drive from Seattle, which Christian managed in just under ninety minutes with Taylor and Sawyer tailing them closely in a rented SUV cursing him all the while.

Christian was enthralled by the landscape, taken by the lush natural beauty of the surroundings and the quaint little villages and towns along their route. Farming and logging were the two main industries, and while Ray had been long retired from the army, he took advantage of the resources, hand-crafting custom-made furniture as a side job. Most of the homes were mostly small and quaint, surrounded by centuries old trees. However, the only notable thing Ana could possibly think of to tell him about her hometown was that Kurt Cobain had spent part of his childhood there.

Bordering the north of the tiny town was the majestic Lake Sylvia State Park, which was one of Ray's favorite freshwater fishing posts. Ana could only assume they'd make a trip there before they returned to New York on Sunday. Christian, of course, managed to expedite his fishing permit, so ready to meet Ray's challenge on the water was he.

As fraught with worry as she was before her mother's visit, Ana absorbed herself in the calm that settled over her now as they headed down the familiar road that would take her home again. Ray's home, the one they once shared as a family with Carla, sat on nearly ten acres that spanned into a thicket of trees where Ana used to play so gleefully when she was a child. Ray had even built his little girl a tree house in that mini-forest for her fifth birthday with wood that he'd personally chopped from their property. Often, she stole away there, on her own, just to curl up with a book.

Surrounded by the traditional white picket fence, the house, which was built in the early 1900s, still maintained its charm, thanks to Ray's talents. Over the years, he'd taken the time to preserve the hardwood floors, moldings and landscaping, bringing the original character of the old house he'd bought with Carla shortly after their wedding back to life.

And on the porch, with the local newspaper in his hand and a cup of tea beside him, Raymond Steele sat ever so patiently in his favorite rocking chair, waiting for his baby girl's arrival.

Ray was a big guy - not so much tall as he was stocky - with thinning dark brown hair and the warmest brown eyes Ana could ever recall seeing. Dressed in his usual uniform of a t-shirt, faded jeans and hiking boots, just how Ana loved t remember him, he folded the newspaper and put it aside the second they pulled into the driveway with their mini-entourage.

"I think, Christian," Ana began gently, "that we'll be OK without Sawyer and Taylor for the night...unless they're planning on sharing a bed here..."

"Got them rooms in town, Ana," Christian assured as he pulled the car into park and smiled. "You ready?"

Ana couldn't resist one quick kiss, knowing that Ray couldn't see through the tinted windows, and smiled. "Are _you_ ready?"

"I've got all my fishing gear with me for our outdoor excursions this weekend, and I'm prepared to watch that Mariner's game tonight," he said, "even if it kills me not to be home watching the Mets..."

"I love you," she sighed.

"And I love you," he returned. "That's why we're here..."

"Well, let's go meet that other man in my life, shall we?" Ana smiled and popped the door open. She couldn't run fast enough up the old wooden steps and into Ray's open arms.

"Oh, Annie," Ray said, hugging her so tightly as if he didn't want to let her go. "I've missed you more in a month than anything."

"Missed you more, old man!" she said.

"Look at you - it's like you grew up in a few weeks," he said, seeing Ana still dressed in her black pencil skirt and blue blouse from work that day. "What happened to my little tomboy in her jeans and sneakers?"

"She found a corporate job, Ray," Ana laughed, then turned around to face Christian who was trying to hang rather inconspicuously at the bottom of the steps. She reached for his hand, tugging at him to join her on the porch. "Now, Ray - meet Christian..."

Ray's handshake, as always, was hearty and genuine. "So you're the infamous guy who's been showing my little Annie around the big city..."

Returning the handshake, Christian smiled. "Well, she's given me the chance to play tourist in my own hometown," Christian replied. "It's really good to finally meet you, Ray. Ana sings your praises all the time..."

Flummoxed by Christian's kind words, Ray just shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah...well...she's a good kid," he said finally with a pat to Ana's back, then stammered to correct himself. "Or I should probably say young woman..."

"So I hear we're up for some fishing this weekend?" Christian raised an eye, starting already to up the ante with Ray.

Ray smiled, but his eyes narrowed. "I would be happy to _teach_ you all about the sport tomorrow..."

"I might surprise you with what I already know..." Christian challenged playfully. Oh, how both of them just loved a little bit of friendly competition. "Let me get our bags, baby. Be back in a minute."

Ray waited just until Christian was out of earshot, then whispered in Ana's ear. "Who are the thugs out there?"

Ana's ever infectious giggle resonated gently between father and daughter. "Christian's bodyguards," Ana explained. "They're leaving, old man. _They're leaving_..."

"Bodyguards..." Ray muttered, shaking his head, but Ana could still see the slight traces of a smile. "So he really fishes, Annie?"

"He _really_ fishes, Ray," Ana insisted.

"OK, then - this might actually work out here," he said, then headed down the steps and called out to Christian. "Hey, pal, let me give you hand with all that stuff..."

Through the small living room, the walls painted a pale yellow and filled with overstuffed furniture and various antiques that both Carla and Ray had picked up at estate sales over the years, Ana led the two men in her life to the stairs its intricate hand-carved railing that Ray had designed and installed himself. It was those little touches that Ana loved most about her childhood home.

Down the short hallway to Ana's old bedroom, there were framed school photos from kindergarten onward to her senior year, and Christian walked slowly, taking in each and every one as if he were strolling through an expensive art gallery or museum. Little Ana with pigtails. Older Ana with a fuzzy perm that went awry. Teenage Ana with her braces on and off. Christian couldn't get enough of this little glimpse into her world.

Dropping the bags at Ana's closed door, Ray said, "OK, you guys do what you need to do, and then we'll work on dinner. Game starts at seven-thirty, but I'm recording it so we can watch it from the beginning." Then he turned to Christian to tease. "We'll see some real baseball - unlike those Mets!"

"I always root for the underdog, Ray," Christian said, and slugged Ray in the arm playfully.

"At least you can admit your weaknesses, and I like that," Ray said. "See you two downstairs in a bit..."

Ana's room, with its lavender walls and sage green accents and white wicker furniture looked so childish to her now, under the mindful gray eyes of one Christian Grey. Rather than rock stars or current A-list celebrities, Ana's walls were covered with movie posters of her favorite old flicks, from _Sunset Boulevard_ to _Sabrina_. Clearly, she had a thing for the ghost of William Holden. Two tall bookshelves that Ray built himself flanked her bed and were overflowing with the classics and with her favorite books from childhood that she never had the heart to throw away.

"So where am I staying?" Christian wondered out loud.

"Um...after that article, I don't think Ray would be surprised if you stayed in here with me..." Ana pointed out.

Drawing in an unsteady breath of uncertainty, Christian grimaced. "In that little bed," he asked. "Oh, baby, this is going to be a long weekend..."

"Why?" she challenged him.

"I am _not_ going to make love to you in _your father's home_," he whispered, certain that Ray probably heard every hushed syllable all the way downstairs in an opposite corner of the house. There was that newly discovered dating thing at work again, and Christian felt like they were two teenagers sneaking up for a feel in her room. "And you know what happens to me when I wake up next to you, baby..."

"Remind me to show you my tree house later, Mr. Grey," she teased, purposely biting down on her bottom lip.

"Tree house?" his eyes grew wide. "Oh, Miss Steele, I think things just got really interesting here..."

"So...?" Ana said, taking his hands and swinging them back and forth. "What do you think of Montesano so far?"

"I think we could see quite a few jaunts to the old Steele homestead in our future," Christian mused. "That is, if Ray likes me after our trip to the lake tomorrow..."

"That's one competition that I think I'll opt out of," Ana teased.

"Oh, I shall win, my sweet baby," Christian vowed, his smile nearly wicked. "I always do..."

# # #

"Oh, come on now, Christian," Ray teased, "you're a smart guy here...don't tell me you don't know how to barbecue..."

They were all sitting on the layered patio that stepped down from the French doors in the back of the house, sipping Seattle brewed beer right out of the bottle while Ray fired up the grill for that evening's steak dinner.

It was at that moment that Ana realized she hadn't laughed so much in a week as she had since they arrived in Montesano. While she enjoyed the banter between Ray and Christian, she also so enjoyed the comforts of home. This backyard held so many memories for her - helping Ray plant every vegetable imaginable in his huge prized garden, picking grapes from the vines, plucking flowers from the various pots and plots around the vast acreage.

"See, Christian," Ana interjected, "your father told you the exact same thing on the Fourth of July..."

Over the grill, Ray raised an eyebrow. "Oh, _did_ he now, Annie?" he asked. "Get back here with me, young man."

Making sure to bring his beer with him for some liquid courage, Christian stepped up to Ray's latest challenge, muttering against his own chuckle, "Don't you ever dare tell my father about this, Anastasia..."

After showing Christian the way around his various grilling gadgets and utensils and offering up a few of his own personal techniques, Ray took a swig from his beer as the three ribeyes began to sizzle before them. "So how about that damn Kate?"

"Never liked her," Christian was so very quick to say. "Long before Ana moved to New York, I couldn't stand her..."

Ray raised his bottle to Christian's for a cheers. "Me either, pal," he agreed. "That little snot was never nice to you, Annie. I don't even know why you stuck it out with her for four years..."

"I was naive...maybe a little desperate..."

"Desperate for what, Annie?" Ray demanded.

Perhaps she could indeed have made other friends her freshman year in college, but at the time she met Kate, she was still so very emotionally and socially scarred by Carla that she acquiesced to the first person who showed any interest in her. Not so ironically, Kate proved to her mother's twin in so many ways.

"Desperate for my mother's approval," Ana murmured over the lip of her beer bottle, "even if from afar..."

"Well, baby," Christian was quick to pipe in, "she clearly needs that from you now..."

Ray leaned back against the masonry garden wall behind him, spatula in hand as he contemplated his words. "Carla will always be Carla," he spat bitterly. "Not that it makes anything she's done to you right, but she's never going to change. And you're right, Christian. It's time Annie turned the tables on her for once..."

"I'm not speaking to her right now," Ana said.

"But _she_ doesn't realize that, baby," Christian added.

Handing Christian the spatula, Ray ordered, "Flip those, young man," before he turned to Ana to continue. "I know it's no consolation, Annie, but you have your own life now, and you really have been building that by yourself - on your own merits. As painful as it might be to understand, you don't need her..."

"She knows that, Ray," Christian said softly, dropping a steak on the grill's fiery surface before he finally grasped and flipped it. "That's why she's hurting so much right now..."

"Well, I had to come to that realization with her, too, Annie," Ray said. "And my greatest fear was that I'd..." Ray turned away from both Ana and Christian. She saw him wipe a lone tear from his eye. "I was just afraid I'd lose you with the divorce. And that didn't happen..."

One thing Ana hadn't anticipated doing that evening was crying. And she knew she was very close...

"Ray..." she stood up, and slowly made her way over to her step-father, "you'll never lose me..."

"Yeah, Annie, I know that..." Her wrapped a strong arm around her neck to pull her close. "_Now,_ I know that...

"Ain't gettin' rid of me any time soon, either, Anastasia," Christian said. "You just need to start adjusting to your new life..."

"Dammit, Christian, you really are a smart guy," Ray said. "Why don't you give him a good listen, Princess?"

"Maybe I will, old man," Ana said, wrapping her arm around Ray as she reached for Christian's hand. "Maybe I just will..."


	61. Chapter 61

_**Chapter Sixty-One**_  
"What...what time is it?" Ana squinted, pulling the pillow over her eyes. Oh, how very close, but so very well, they'd slept in her double-bed.

"A little after four..." Christian murmured, kissing her quickly before getting out of bed. "And I have about ten minutes to get dressed before your pop is at the door with his shotgun...the lake awaits..."

"Christian...?" she patted the now empty space next to her, but still didn't open her eyes. "Right now...?"

"I shall return with your dinner, baby," he promised. "Now go back to bed. Have some business to take care of with that step-father of yours..."

"Please behave..." she pleaded from beneath the pillow.

"Always," he said. "Now, go back to sleep, baby..."

# # #

Still in her pajamas, Ana pulled the crocheted quilt that Ray's late mother had stitched over herself and stretched out on the couch as she heard the thump of heavy shoes pounding through the front door. It wasn't quite yet ten o'clock, but already Ray and Christian had returned from their fishing trip. She could only assume from the thunderous laughter that a good time was had by both...or so she'd hoped.

"The best was still when she was in second grade and stuck a pencil in her ear," she could hear Ray's voice telling one of her most awkward childhood legends. "Had to rush her to the doctor to pull out the eraser. Straight A's, that kid always had, but always clumsy...and sometimes, just no common sense..."

Arms folded across her chest, Ana glared at her step-father. "You just love to embarrass me, don't you, Ray?"

"Oh, baby," Christian soothed, "that's not as bad as the story about when you were potty training and kept peeing in the coat closet..."

While the blanket covered her eyes, she could still see Ray and Christian through the open weave of the pattern. "I think I hate you both..." she bit back, secretly loving every second of their rabid teasing. Clearly, this was going to be their shtick with her.

"So, why didn't you tell me that you tripped over Christian the first time you met him?" Ray prodded, plunking down on the couch beside her while Christian brought the cooler in from the porch. "Classic Annie Steele moment..."

At last she tugged the quilt away and pouted her lips at Ray in an over-exaggerated fashion. "Did you guys just spend the entire morning talking about little old me?"

"Pretty much, baby," Christian said, taking a seat on the arm of the couch and slinging his arm around her shoulder.

"Feel like I'm back in New York with you and Elliot right now," Ana teased. "Only you always take to my defense against _him_..."

"Don't worry, Annie," Ray said. "You've got lots to tease this guy about. His rainbow trout is about half the size of mine!"

With that, Ana couldn't stop laughing. The Great Christian Slater Grey de Sade, brought down yet again by a mere mortal.

"And the Mets lost last night," Ray added.

"You Seattle folks play rough," Christian accused, his smile toying with Ana all the while.

"Not as rough as some of you New Yorkers play," Ana couldn't resist teasing back. Ray had no idea, she was certain, what exactly she meant by her comment.

"Fair point..."

Ana licked the tip of her index finger then pretended as if she were marking a chalkboard with their score - one for Steele. "So very well made, if I do say so myself, Mr. Grey..."

"Now, now, you two..." Ray said, shaking a finger at the happy young couple next to him. "Besides, Christian, all's not lost. Annie doesn't eat much at all, so that trout will feed her well..."

"OK, enough!" Ana said, pushing herself up from the couch. "I'm bored sitting here while you two banter!"

"You still owe me a tour of Montesano," Christian reminded her.

"Let me drive the Audi, and we're on, Grey!"

# # #

"OK, baby," Christian's voice was calm, "let up on the gas a little bit there..."

Maneuvering the sharp curves on the way from Ray's house into town, Ana laughed. "After _your_ drive from Seattle yesterday?" she countered, noticing that Christian clutched the door with his right hand and held his left very near the wheel, like a driving instructor ready to steer her out of trouble. "Sassy Ana loves to drive fast!"

"Sassy Ana's going to the tree house when we get back," Christian said.

"I can turn around right now, if you'd like," she suggested, hopeful.

"Drive on, wench. I want to see the highlights of your first twenty-one years on earth..."

In truth, there just wasn't a whole lot to see in Montesano, but Ana gave him the quick tour, pointing out her high school, the grocery store where she'd worked in high school, her favorite playground as a child.

They stopped at a small coffee shop, and Ana knew the owner, Louisa Miller, well. In fact, she'd even dated Ray on and off for a few months the previous year.

"So you're making big headlines here in little old Washington," Louisa teased. "And I guess this handsome fellow would be Mr. Grey?"

"I am..." he extended his hand.

"Pleasure," Louisa said. "Just keep our favorite gal safe in New York, OK? Now, Ana, what can I get you? It's on the house..."

"Oh, Louisa, you don't have to do that," Ana insisted. "Two coffees - black, two sugars each - and two cookies, please."

"What happened to your tea habit?" Louisa exclaimed. "My, my, Ana...what's that city doing to you? And are you really sure you want your coffee black?"

On their way out the door, Christian dropped a hundred dollar bill in the tip jar. Ana just smiled. His generosity never ceased to amaze her.

Since it was such a gorgeous day with a slight summer breeze - and since they didn't have to worry about an army of photographers following them around - they decided to sit at one of the small cafe tables just outside the shop.

"So..." Ana said, circling her wooden stir around and around in her cup, "I'm guessing you and Ray hit it off pretty well this morning?"

Christian's boyish grin gave himself away. "The good parent makes up for the bad one," he said, "_and then some_..."

"You like him," Ana smiled.

"I really do, baby..." he said. "He's a damn good man."

Walking her fingers across the small table, she reached for his hand. "I'm glad..."

"Good," he said. "Now, let's head back to the homestead. I don't think you've quite finished your tour yet..."

"Oh, no?"

"No, you haven't, baby," he said. "Still dying to see that tree house..."

# # #

Ray was outside the front of the house, trimming up the hedges, when Ana and Christian returned a while later, both of them giggling when they hopped out of the car. Nothing made him happier than seeing his little girl so footloose and carefree for probably the first time in her life. She was always such a serious, studious kid, and she so rarely took the time to really enjoy life's little moments...until she met Christian Grey.

However, before Ray even had the chance to say hello, Ana took off running toward the back of the property, giving herself a huge head start over Christian, and called out, "Last one there's a rotten egg!"

"Not fair, Miss Steele," Christian bellowed as he finally caught up to her at the edge of the woods and followed her through the maze of brush and fallen logs and trees. She really was a tomboy at heart, he realized, and loved to watch her maneuver every little turn with the precision of a skilled woodsman. This was a side of Ana he truly hadn't seen - hadn't even envisioned - before that day. Yes, Raymond Steele had taught his little girl well.

As she began her climb up the wooden rungs nailed to the tree, Ana hoped she wouldn't lose her footing. It had been quite some time since she'd stolen away to her once very own private patch of heaven. With Christian literally at her heels, however, she knew he'd brace her from any possible fall.

So tiny inside was the tree house that Christian nearly filled the entire wooden box himself. The plywood floors seemed to sink with his every movement...and there was also the matter of the rather large window opening. How he hoped Ana was right and that Ray rarely made trips into the woods these days. He wondered just how safe they were, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

Scooting along to make room for him, Ana's giggles left her breathless as her eyes followed him with caution.

"It's been almost thirty-four hours, Anastasia..." he continued to crawl toward her as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Ana loved how he always knew the last time they made love almost down to the second. "I was ready to pull over on the side of the road and have you in the backseat..."

They had so few precious moments to spare, and so little space to move. However, there simply was no end to his prowess for his beloved Ana.

Her lips found his, kissing in desperation as her tongue lashed against his. Her fingers sunk into his hairline, pulling at those thick copper locks as her hips rocked in synch with his. Christian's hands worked between them, struggling first with his zipper then Ana's, then pulled roughly at the waistband of her crop pants, tugging them down over her bottom and ripping her panties in his pull.

With all of the hours that Ana had spent in that tree house, the thought never once crossed her mind that she'd ever make love within its confines - her bare ass scraping against the wooden floor as Christian so hurriedly shoved himself inside her.

There was something so very primal about their fierce shenanigans that afternoon. Hand clamping over her mouth to suppress her groans of pleasure, Christian plunged deeper, just simply fucking her with a raw sense of passion he knew only for Ana. Harder and faster he slammed against her, their intent focused on only orgasm alone.

Within what seemed only mere moments, he found himself tipping over the edge with an adrenaline rush like none other, taking Ana so brusquely with him as she clamored to cry out to him against his palm.

Now, she was thankful for all of his lessons in self-control as she fought to silence herself, riding out those seconds of the pleasure she so desperately needed. She wanted to scream out - bellow his name so that it echoed through the trees - and claw at every last inch of him. However, time and place were both of issue, forcing Ana to calmly and quickly indulge in likely the only orgasm she'd be privileged to have that entire weekend.

"How I love you, baby," his voice hissed against her ear as he smoothed his fingers over her lips at last. "Oh, how much I love you..."

"And I love you..." she snuggled against his chest.

"So damn good..." he continued, easing himself out of her. "Such a good girl for Sir today..."

That had to be the tightest space any two human beings ever made love - aside from maybe a bathroom in an airplane, Ana reasoned. But where there was a will, there was certainly a Christian Grey.

"Uh-ohhhh..." she murmured softly against his chest, unable to move.

"What, baby?" he kissed her temple. "What's wrong?"

As Ana awkwardly reached behind her and rubbed her backside, Christian ran his fingers through his hair. "Oh, fuck, baby," he hissed. "Fuck..."

# # #

Christian's fingers turned the lock on Ana's bedroom door, and he sighed so solemnly.

"Tweezers?" his tone took on that of a world-class surgeon, readying to make his first cut of the day.

With an air of reluctance, she passed him his requested instrument and moaned into a pillow to muffle her voice. Immediately, Christian reached out to turn on the clock radio on her nightstand.

"Please, baby...be quiet..." he implored. How he loved to hear Ana cry out in the Red Room of Pain, as he whipped and cracked her. However, _real pain_ was a whole other ballgame, and with it, Christian did not deal well. "Now, this is going to hurt you, baby..."

"No, shit, it's going to hurt! Don't pull that Dom stuff with me now..." she spat. "Will you just get it the hell over with?"

Looking down at the mess on that sweet little wiggling bottom, still healing - albeit quite nicely - from the remnants of her whipping, and now marred with the evidence of their quick and kinky fuckery in her tree house, Christian wasn't sure whether he wanted to cringe...or spank her all over again for squiggling as he tried so desperately to help her.

"OK, I'm really trying to take care of you here, Anastasia, so you be quiet," he ordered, his voice in an angry whisper. "And next time you decide that we should fuck _**in your tree house**_, bring a _**blanket**_ and I won't have to pick the _**splinters**_ out of your cute little ass..."

"Alright..._ouch_!" she said with the first pluck at her prickled bare backside. "OK...just one question...the condom...what did you do with it?"

Lifting her head from the pillow to look into her eyes, he said with all seriousness, "I left it there, Anastasia - for your father to find!"

"_Christian!_" She was certain that she was flushing - all the way from one set of cheeks to another.

"Oh, come on, here, who the hell are you talking to?" he demanded, returning to his minor surgical maneuvers behind her. "I threw it away. He'll never ever know. Now will you please settle?"

"Yes..." she muttered back into her pillow again. "Mean Sir..."

# # #

"Annie, my girl..." Ray said as Ana stepped outside to join Ray on the patio. He gestured toward the cooler filled with beer. "Have one with me..."

"I would love to," she smiled.

"Where's your other half?" he asked. "Don't tell me he's sulking because I caught the bigger fish for dinner tonight?"

Ana had to laugh. She wondered how far they'd carry this competition, which she inherently knew all circled back to their love for her. Relief flooded her, though, merely over the fact that neither Christian nor Ray tried to kill each other yet.

"Christian's in the shower - he'll be down in a little while..." Her own hair was wet from just having stepped out herself. This wasn't Fort Grey with the double everything in the master bathroom. They each had to take their turn.

"Sit, Annie," he gestured toward the chair next to him at the table.

"Aw, uh, no, that's OK, Ray," she stammered. Christian certainly did a number on her bottom, removing those damn splinters. The combination of peroxide and antibiotic cream did little to soothe her yet. "I've been...sitting too much...today..."

"So," Ray began, "while we've got a few minutes alone..."

"Yeah, Ray?"

"That's a fine young man you've brought home to meet your old man," he said and tentatively took her hand, giving it a quick squeeze. "In fact, I wouldn't be sad if he were the last one you introduce me to..."

Ana's smile lit up the early evening dusk. Ray's words were everything and more that she wanted - needed - to hear.

"You really do like him, don't you?" Ana asked. "Well, he's quite fond of you, too, old man."

"He's everything I've always wanted for you, Annie," Ray assured her. "And listen, kiddo, I don't mean the money. He could drive a garbage truck for all I care. My only concern is that he respects you. And just being around him, talking, I know he does."

"So I can admit to you now that it's much more serious than I let on over the phone," Ana said, dropping her head just slightly, her shyness shining through.

"I figured that out pretty quickly last night," Ray said.

"Any other father would be screaming at his daughter right now for moving in with a man so soon," she played Devil's Advocate. "He'd be telling her that she needs to think through her decisions. Take some time."

"Honestly, I was so ready to give you that lecture this weekend," Ray admitted. "But I can't - I don't have a reason to. What you have with Christian is just...it's different, Annie. It's some very special connection that I can't even seem to explain. And I know he cares about you so very much."

"Hearing you say that means the world to me, Ray."

"Well, what I'm really trying to say is..." he stammered for a moment. "I approve of him. I trust him. And I don't have to worry quite as much about you being on the opposite end of the country now..."

What a difficult time Ray had with her decision to move. They never argued over it - and he never attempted to sway her to stay in Seattle - but it tore his heart apart.

Tears in her eyes, Ana opened her arms wide and pulled Ray close. "I love you, old man..."

"I love you, too, Annie," he said. "You always make me so proud to be your dad..."

"Oops! Father-daughter moment," Christian spun on his heels and moved to hurry back into the house.

"Get out here, pal," Ray said, waving him on. "I'm not done with you at the grill yet, young man. Tonight we're going to learn all about grilling trout. Even the tiny one that you caught just for Annie here..."

"You wait, Ray," Christian pointed his finger at him, ready for the latest barbecue challenge. "We will fish again. And I shall be the victor the next time..."

"I'll hold ya to it, buddy..."

# # #

Christian held Ana while she cried for ten minutes before they headed to the airport the next morning. Her time with Ray had been cut all too short, but Christian assured her they'd see him again very soon.

Once she'd collected her emotions and decided to head downstairs, Christian joined Sawyer and Taylor outside, as they tucked the luggage into the waiting SUV, giving her a few last moments alone with Ray.

"Now, listen to me - don't you listen to anything your mother says," Ray said, "and you tell me if you hear one little peep from that little whore you used to live with."

He made Ana laugh through her tears. _That little whore_...how many times she'd heard Christian refer to Kate with that very moniker. Yes, he'd spent far too much time with Ray the last two days.

"Will do, Ray," Ana said, saluting. "I just wish you'd come to see us in New York..."

"I just might, Annie," he winked at Christian, who stood on the other side of the screen door, waiting for Ana. "Maybe even sooner than you think!"

"One last hug?" Ana opened her arms and squeezed Ray with every ounce of energy in her body. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too, Princess..." he said. "Now lemme walk you two to the car."

Christian was already down the front steps and in the yard by the time Ana and Ray made it outside. Turning rather sharply, he looked at Ray and said, "Catch!" tossing a set of car keys into Ray's hands. "Keep the Audi warm until we get back, Ray. Make sure she keeps purring..."

"What?" Ray shook his head in confusion and disbelief. "Christian, what are you-"

"Bought it to have something to drive while we're here," Christian said simply. "Figured we'd need it again. Who has time to waste renting cars all the time? Enjoy her, Ray."

When he turned to Ana, she simply kissed his cheek. "He's crazy, Annie," Ray said. "Absolutely crazy. But I like him..."


	62. Chapter 62

_**Chapter Sixty-Two**_  
Returning to New York brought with it a rush of trepidation for Ana, but their time away in Washington did greater good than she could have ever imagined.

There were only three photographers camped out in front of Christian's building when they'd returned that Sunday evening. Taking the back entrance, he reasoned, wasn't necessary. There was no real story in their simply getting out of a car and heading into the lobby. Even Andrea told him that the longer they remained in hiding, the press would only continue with their attacks, clamoring to get more. In Ana's mind, though, the damage had already been done.

For now, she would enjoy this respite, knowing all too well that the storm would begin to brew again if Kate did indeed go to trial.

Just as Carrick had suspected, Kate's father bailed her out...and hired Carrick's top nemesis to defend his daughter. Behind the scenes, this fight seemed to grow nastier by the minute, and at times, Ana just wanted to give up. She thought that perhaps if they simply ignored the situation and allowed Kate to go away quietly, they'd have the peace they longed for. However, Christian was so very quick to remind her that was highly unlikely.

Returning to Grey Publishing that Monday morning after working at home for a week was both a struggle and a joy for Ana. She'd tossed and turned the entire night, fretting over how the day would ultimately unfold after Kate's revelation that she was indeed the new boss's girlfriend. Jeffrey had even promised to take to her defense if she encountered any problems.

However, much to her shock, no one at work seemed to care. One thing she'd discovered in the short time she'd lived in the city - most people in New York were too busy and too focused on their own careers and little worlds within that giant metropolis to really insert themselves into the lives of others. As long as she remained focused and continued to do her job to the best of her ability, people really didn't care who she crawled into bed with every night.

That week was indeed quite a busy one for Ana. She'd finally taken the time to make an evening appointment with Caroline Acton to have herself fitted for a new wardrobe since she'd left mostly everything behind at Kate's. And Christian was none the happier to personally remove his clothes from the second walk-in closet in their master bedroom to accommodate Ana's new wardrobe.

Meanwhile, Grace, already deep into her preparations for the winter gala at the hospital, asked Ana if she'd like to give her a hand with logistics - an honor, which Ana readily accepted. Under Grace's ever-gentle guidance, Ana learned so much from her in just one evening and she quite enjoyed the alone time they shared. Without the distractions of Christian, Mia and Elliot, they accomplished much and got to know each other just a little bit more along the way. Ana left the Grey's penthouse that night, promising more of her time to the cause. It was an event that was important to the entire Grey family, and she willingly offered her support.

Even things on the Elena Lincoln front seemed to remain eerily quiet. Ana knew they were far from being done with that evil Botox Bitch yet, but she tried to find some security in knowing that Christian had more than enough information to destroy her, should she rear her plastic head again.

Slowly but surely, Ana felt like they could possibly be returning to a manageable little life together in the city. While she couldn't tease herself into thinking things would always be so carefree on the arm of one Christian Grey, she appreciated the time to simply return to a somewhat calm existence.

By Friday, with another weekend upon them, Ana was ready for some fun. As their early closing neared, Ana and Jillian tried to persuade Jeff out for a couple of drinks that afternoon, but he was in a rush to get away to Fire Island that weekend with his fiancé. They had some preparations to attend for their pending nuptials - for which Christian was going to be Jeff's best man. Ana had never been to a gay wedding before, but with Jeffrey taking charge of the party, she knew it would just be fabulous.

How she was looking forward to just a girls' afternoon with Jillian, though. Naturally, Sawyer followed along behind them, but Jillian was actually used to his presence in Ana's life at that point. He tailed them to lunch every day and was always there to take Ana home in the evening. Now, Ana really had no choice about having a bodyguard - her life depended on it between the collective wrath of Kate Kavanagh and Elena Lincoln.

They decided upon a little bar not too far from Fort Grey. In fact, Ana and Christian had stumbled upon it on a walk just earlier that week. It was a typical New York dive - dark, dingy and permeated still by stale stench of cigarettes, even though the ban on smoking in bars and restaurants had been in place for years. Eighties tunes blared from the juke box. And nobody had bothered with the pool table in the back for a very long time, Ana gathered from the coat of dust on the cover.

They found a booth in the back, with Sawyer taking his helm right at the bar, sipping diet coke. Every day, she felt sorrier for him - sitting alone while she had her fun, waiting while she shopped, tagging along everywhere. Christian paid him handsomely, she knew, but that seemed no consolation prize. However tempted she was, though, to invite him back to join them for a few, she knew he had a job to do - a job to protect and keep her from any and every possible harm.

"So it sounds like Jeffrey's planning the wedding of the century," Jillian giggled as they sipped their mojitos. "I think that's going to be a fun weekend."

"You know, he does seem to do everything on a rather grand, but elegant scale," Ana noted. "Christian said he's always been like..."

"What does Christian say?" the familiar voice teased from behind.

When Ana turned around, she had to laugh, as her Fifty Shades of Friday strolled in with his darling older brother. Ana had completely forgotten that Elliot had planned to spend the weekend with them at Fort Grey. However, she wasn't surprised one bit to find them in that dark little bar.

Dressed in his usual uniform of cargo shorts and colorful Polo shirt with those white socks and sandals that made both Ana and Christian cringe, Elliot followed alongside his brother, beaming at the unfamiliar female presence at the table.

"You always know where to find me," Ana said, as Christian slipped in beside her and stole her lips for a quick kiss. She waited for Elliot to make his move, and just as she suspected, he scooted in beside Jillian.

"And this gorgeous lady sitting here must be...?" Elliot began, but Ana cut him off.

"This is Christian's eccentric older brother, Elliot," Ana introduced. "Jill McGee..."

"And he's too cheap to get a hotel room for the weekend, so we're letting him stay with us, Jill," Christian further explained.

"That is so not the case, dear Jill," Elliot began, extolling his charms upon her rather deadpan face. "I just wanted to spend some quality time with my favorite brother and his darling Penelope..."

"I'm you're _only_ brother, El," Christian handed him his credit card. "Go start a tab. I think I need a martini...or three..."

"No, no, no...I am _not cheap_," Elliot pushed Christian's hand aside. "And I shall start this tab on _my_ card. And another round of mojitos for the lovely ladies coming up."

When Elliot was out of earshot, Christian muttered to Jillian, "I apologize - we're not even related. He's adopted."

"Oh, Ana," Jillian giggled, "you've gotta put up with this all weekend..."

Clutching Christian's hand, which was conspicuously on her knee beneath the table, Ana mused, "I put up with the two of them in some capacity every single day, Jillie..."

"I can fire you both," Christian suggested with an air of nonchalance.

A look of absolute horror fell upon Jillian's face. Her mouth opened and her eyes widened with fear.

"I'm _teasing_," Christian said. "Wow, you both are sensitive little creatures..."

"Just damaged," Jillian said, polishing off her drink as Elliot returned to the table with their bevy of cocktails. "After working for Elena..."

"Well, you don't have to worry about her ever again," Christian assured her, but it pained him that Ana still had to deal with the aftermath of that nightmarish woman.

"OK, let's not discuss any subjects of angst this afternoon - it's Friday," Elliot reminded them. "Instead...why don't we talk about _you,_ Miss Jill? Where are you from?"

"Michigan," Jillian said, "A small town a couple of hours outside Detroit."

"Now...why is it that the most wonderful ladies in New York aren't natives?" Elliot mused.

Shoulders back as if in challenge, Jillian said, "Maybe because we actually _want_ to be here?"

"And smart!" Elliot said. "These out-of-towners have both brains _and_ beauty, little brother of mine..."

"Staying outta this one, El," Christian said with a smile, shaking his head. "I am a committed man, and I can only speak on behalf of my Ana..."

"Smart man," Jillian said and raised her glass to Christian. "So what brought you to town this weekend, Elliot?"

"Coldplay," he said without a second's hesitation, his boyish smile playing over his lips. "At the Garden. Going with some college chums tomorrow night, but...I could probably manage a way to find an extra ticket...?"

"Aw, shucks..." Jillian shrugged her shoulders. "You know, I'm still picking the hay out of my shoes from when I was at home a couple of weeks ago...otherwise..."

"Whoa - and they say New York women are tough," Elliot's eyes teased Jillian's cold stare. However, he thought he caught just a trace of a smile on her lips. "Between you and your buddy Penelope here..."

"Don't you drag Penelope into this," Ana said, pointing a stern finger in Elliot's direction. "She'll sic your little brother on you!"

"Really scared, Babycakes..." Elliot said, then took a sip of his vodka and tonic. "Really scared..."

"Well," Jillian began, challenging again, "what does Elliot do with his time when he's not mooching off his younger brother or playing stalker to his favorite band?"

"Actually, I have a big boy job," Elliot responded.

"Elliot's actually quite recognized in his field," Christian chimed in. "As much as we all hate to admit it..."

"Oh, _stop_!" Elliot said, with a dramatic sweep of his hand and feigning a girlish giggle. "I just have a little business out on Long Island that specializes in green construction and engineering."

"You know, that's actually pretty damn cool," Jillian said rather suddenly. "My dad does similar work back in Michigan."

"Oh, do tell..." Elliot said, inching in closer.

Leaning back against the booth, Christian folded his hands on the table and glanced at Ana from the corner of his eye. "Now this is getting interesting here..."

Several more rounds were consumed, and for once, as Christian would confide later that night to Ana, Elliot behaved like a grown-up. His conversation with Jillian was a lengthy one, as one drink flowed into several more, leaving Ana and Christian on their own. Not that they minded. In fact, Christian even took Ana for a quick spin on the empty dance floor as Bowie's "Modern Love" filled the room.

As the evening wound to a close, Ana and Jillian slipped away to the ladies room for one last and private check-in before they split up.

"I just wanted to let you know - I wasn't in any way trying to set you up with Elliot." Ana said. "I had no idea they'd show up this evening. I thought they'd go and do their boys' thing."

Tossing her hand in the air to wave off Ana's worry, Jillian said, "Oh, Ana, I don't mind. He's a nice guy - very smart and funny. He's just a playa. But he kept me entertained for a couple of hours this evening."

"Well, I'm glad," Ana said. "And we need to do drinks again very soon..."

"Of course, Ana!" Jillian said. "Maybe we can coax Jeffrey out with us next time..."

"You know, I would love to see him drunk with Christian, and just ply their minds about their Harvard days," Ana chuckled.

"That would be hilarious..."

"Come on, let's get you home now..."

Christian was, of course, taking the break in their evening to check his e-mails before the girls returned to the table. All seemed to be quiet - even on Andrea's end.

"So, Jill," Elliot said, pulling out his phone as they readied to leave, "I'm sorry - I didn't seem to get your phone number..."

"Well, that's because I didn't give it to you," Jillian smiled triumphantly.

"You could pass those digits along right now...?"

"Oh, Elliot..." Christian ran his fingers through his hair. "Give it up with the poor girl!"

"Did you give up so easily with Miss Penelope here?" Elliot retorted.

"Miss Penelope never put up a fight," Ana teased.

"Don't worry, Jill," Elliot said, "I'm a crafty guy. I'll get your number...even if I have to spank it out of Penelope."

Granted, they'd had a few drinks, but when Ana looked at Christian, she thought he was just about to double over with laughter. She hoped that no one noticed the flushing red stains on her cheeks. Elliot knew nothing of how kinky they played.

"Well, everyone, I'm gong to head off to the train, so I'll see you on Monday, Ana," Jillian said, pecking Ana good-bye on the cheek. "So much fun tonight - Penelope!"

"No, Jillian. Employee function this evening," Christian insisted. "Sawyer's going to take you home."

"But I'm all the way in Brooklyn..."

"Don't argue with the boss," Elliot winked.

"Uh, you'll be coming with us with Taylor," Christian tugged on Elliot's sleeve.

"Jill, I shall see you soon," Elliot reached for her hand, only to be met with a rueful smile.

"Have fun at the Coldplay concert tomorrow," was all Jillian had to say. "And Christian, thank you so much for the ride home - you really didn't..."

"He'll worry for the rest of the night if you don't let Sawyer take you home," Ana told her. "Talk to you tomorrow - and see you Monday morning!'

# # #

"Turn over, Ana," Christian said, crawling on his hands and knees across the mattress toward her later that night. "That's an order..."

"Oh, come on, Christian," Ana said, but still did as she was told. "I'm fine!"

"Splinters - on top of a whipping - are not _fine_, Anastasia..."

Every night, they explored this same ritual before making love or falling asleep. The wounds had healed. The scars were fading. However, Dr. Grey had to check on the state of her ass, just to make sure that all was well with her pale, soft, always squiggling derriere.

Delicately, he pulled at the waistband of her tiny yoga shorts...which snapped from his hands when a sudden knock pounded on the door.

"Christian!" Ana hissed.

"I locked it, baby," Christian said, scurrying out of bed to answer. "We do have a visitor..."

Nearly barreling Christian over, Elliot rushed into the room and jumped right in the center of their bed, almost spilling his open bottle of beer on a now very Cranky Ana, and announced, "I can't sleep! I'm all a-scared! I'm in a strange house with very strange people! And that lady who cooks downstairs - she looks at me funny!"

Pointing at the open door through which Elliot just bounded, Christian pursed his lips and hissed at his brother, "Get...the...fuck...out...now..."

"I am not leaving until Penelope here gives up her friend's phone number," Elliot stood his ground.

"Absofuckinglutely not!" Ana bit back. _Wow,_ she thought, _I'm now morphing into Christian Fucking Grey!_

Elliot folded his arms across his chest, pouting like the petulant little boy who still inhabited his soul. "And why, Pen?"

"You just said it yourself - _because_ she's my _friend_..."

"Well, I'm your friend, too," Elliot charged. "In fact, I'm family - I'm your boyfriend's very concerned, very protective big brother. Like, there's potential that we might actually be eating Christmas dinner together for the rest of our lives..."

"Oh, by Christmas you'll be on to someone else," Christian said, his eyes rolling upward into his skull.

"No, for real," Elliot went on, "I really liked Jill. She's different...she's actually really smart...and she challenged me!"

"This, too, shall pass, El," Christian muttered.

"Please...?" Elliot looked to Ana.

Adamantly, Ana shook her head. "No can do, pal."

"What if I steal your phone and get into your address book?" he challenged.

"Your father will put you in a jail cell next to..._Katherine Agnes Kavanagh_...arrrrrgh..." Ana roared.

Narrowing his eyes, Christian smiled triumphantly at Ana from his place in the doorway. "God, you just reminded me all over again why I fell in love with you, Anastasia Steele..."

"I'll just call her at work on Monday," Elliot said, as he climbed out of the bed.

"Uh, excuse me," Christian said, "I'm her employer, and maybe I don't tolerate personal calls at work..."

"Oh, don't give me that crap, little bro, you're the biggest offender," Elliot accused. "Ana...Daddy...Mommy...you even call little old me, upon occasion..."

"Out of my room, Elliot..."

"Out of my room, Elliot," he mocked his younger brother as he slogged along toward the door. "Because I'm Christian Slater Grey...and I'm the baddest ass in Manhattan..."

"'Night," Christian said, closing the door against Elliot as he passed through it. "Hope the bedbugs bite!"

"If this hotel has bedbugs, I'll sue your ass!" Elliot bellowed from the other side of the door as Christian turned the lock. "I'll _sue_!"

"That boy..." Leaning back, Christian gently bounced his head against the door. "Will you do me a favor next time he asks if he can camp out? Remind him that he can stay at Mom and Dad's...?"


	63. Chapter 63

_**Chapter Sixty-Three **_  
Copper hair blowing in the slight summer breeze, Christian sat on the terrace, glass of Sancerre in hand, minding the dusky skyline on that early Saturday evening. With Elliot gone for the evening, Mrs. Jones out for a night on the town with her sister and Ana napping happily in their bed, he'd shut off his phone for just a while, enjoying the time to just ponder his thoughts. All was so quiet - almost eerie, he'd realized - prompting him suddenly to fear his own relaxation.

Treading as quietly as she could, tapping her bare feet so gently over the concrete terrace, Ana snuck up behind Christian and wrapped her arms around him, leaving her hands to rest against his chest. A warmth settled over her. He was hers alone to touch.

Kissing the top of his head while he pulled her around to sit on his lap, she giggled.

"Did you have a good sleep, baby?"

"The only thing that would have made it nicer would have been if you were in our bed beside me..."

"Glass of wine?" he asked. "I brought an extra glass out for you, just in case..."

"You always plan ahead, don't you, Mr. Grey?"

"Yeah, baby," he smiled, "I do..."

Ana reached over and poured her wine, then tapped her glass to his.

"I love you, Ana..." he whispered. "I so very dearly, truly love you..."

"And I love you, Mr. Grey..."

Tenderly, his fingers traced her chin and over the line of her jaw, played over her cheek, then wove into her messy, sleep-ruffled hair. "You make me crazy..."

"And you..." Ana grinned, leaning in to steal a kiss "...just...you make me everything...crazy...happy...sad...delirious..."

"But..." He stopped himself, shook his head, then turned away, those stormy eyes, staring off into the fading sunset over Manhattan. "You are happy...?"

"Am I happy?" Stunned by his question, Ana's blue eyes grew wide. "Christian, your own insecurities are going to be the death of you."

"No, Ana, please...I really need to know."

Cupping his face with her small hands, she gently tapped at his cheeks. "Christian Slater Grey de Sade...you put me in oblivion - in and out of the bedroom."

"And you're really alright with everything we've done?" he questioned her again. "I don't know...I guess we just - I just - need a check-in..."

"Reassurance?" she prompted.

Lobbing his head from side to side, he said, "That, too."

"I'm going to stop taking Saturday afternoon naps," Ana said. "Gives you too much time to allow your mind to wander into unwarranted territories."

He took their glasses and placed them on the table, then took both her hands in his. "Honestly, Ana, there's something that's just been on my mind the last couple of weeks," he said. "Maybe even since I hurt you with the wooden spoon..."

"You didn't hurt me," Ana soothed, "and I just panicked."

"I'm just worried," he admitted finally. "I don't want you to just go along with all of this because you feel like you have to."

"Christian...no..." Her smile was so warm as she stared into those clouds of gray. "Was there something that gave you some indication otherwise?"

"Not really..." He stopped momentarily, as if trying to search for his words, but came up empty. "No..."

"Did I run away from the whip?"

"Technically," he chuckled, "you couldn't, Ana.

"You're right," she agreed. "But I also know that all I have to do is say one little word, and you'll stop immediately if I'm in any sort of discomfort. It's that trust thing you've been hammering into my head since day one."

"I want to take this so much further with you. But I really do worry about your limits," he said. "I'm trying so very hard to gage every second when we play. I've never really paid that much attention before. And I just want to make sure that you're willing to go there with me."

"Are you saying we should set limits?" she asked. "You know, you told me once that there were things that I might not accept initially...but that I'd find great pleasure in later on. I didn't understand that at the time. But I do now."

"You remember that?" he smiled, hopeful.

"I'm sure there are things we could talk about today that I would absolutely call Red upon," she continued, "and in a few weeks - or months - I might be begging for them. But I trust you - and I trust your patience with me."

"And I love you for that, baby," he said. "So you're...you're fine with - spontaneity? As far as our play goes?"

"Christian, I can't think of anything more boring than drawing up a contract," Ana assured him. "It's like, 'You can touch my right nipple, but not my left. But only when we're in the Red Room...' Ugh, that sounds so almost clinical!"

"Your right one is so much more sensitive than the left," he mused, pinching said nipple just for good measure, "for the record..."

"You...oh, Christian Slater Grey de Sade..." Ana laughed. "Only you would know. But do you get where I'm coming from here? I don't want you to feel like you can't make suggestions - or even push the limits with me. I'm not as fragile as you think I am, and I trust you not to give me more than I can handle at the moment."

"You really do, don't you?" he asked, his own self-doubt rising again.

"You were honest with me from the very beginning," Ana said. "You made it very clear what you were looking for. I didn't understand it at the time, and I'm still learning. But it's been a thrill like none other. And it's become a part of who we are as a couple."

"Maybe that's the part I need to get used to - we're a unit, an entity," he said. "We're learning about this whole relationship thing together..."

"Christian, I promise I'll keep my end of this bargain, too. I know the importance of honesty in all of this. I'll let you know when I'm not comfortable with something - believe me, I'll shout it from the rooftops before you even begin. But I think I've managed to keep an open mind so far..."

"You do have such an open mind, Anastasia," he complimented, his fingers returning to her hair. "And you seem to enjoy a bit of pain..."

"I do..." her grin was sheepish.

"Say it for me, Ana," his command was cloaked in tenderness. "Say it, baby..."

Pressing her hands against his chest, she looked at him for one long moment, then whispered, "I enjoy the pain, Kind Sir..."

"You really have embraced your submission then?"

With such ease and grace, Ana pulled very slowly away from his embrace, scooting backward from his lap and slithering down to the concrete beneath them and folded herself into position - kneeling before him, head bowed in reverence.

"I submit to you," her voice rattling with desire, "again, Kind Sir...and I love you...with everything I have inside me to give..."

"Oh, Ana, my love," he breathed. "What you're doing to me...sit for me...look at me..."

Obediently, she pulled herself up from her angle of deference and looked into those beautiful, steely, multi-shaded gray eyes. Her lips slackened in passion, she squirmed in anticipation.

"May I..." She was sinking so rapidly into that little place that she could only visit with him.

"May you what, baby?"

"May I please..." Eyelashes batting and lip bitten, Ana could barely speak, so lost in his unspoken command was she. "May I please...suck your cock...Kind Sir...?"

Christian's groan was so audible that he was certain everyone on the street thirty floors below could probably hear him. Rendered speechless, he could only manage to drag his fingers that he'd firmly planted on his thighs toward that rapidly extending bulge in his pants, gripping himself through his shorts...through his boxers...and watching her hungry lips all the while.

There was something about watching Christian touching himself, even through his clothes, that simply struck Ana to her tingling core. Those hands, so huge and strong and tender, pulled and tugged, yet remained in absolute control of himself and of his desires.

Perhaps that punishment in his office had left her feeling brazen in ways she hadn't dared to consider. Likely, the wall lining the terrace shielded them from view of any possible onlookers. Yet coupled with the notion that they were outside, exposed again, Ana found herself unraveling once more...and he hadn't even really touched her.

"Yes, you may suck me, Anastasia..." he finally whispered.

"Thank you, Kind Sir."

He opened his legs further, to accommodate her desire, and gave one last jerk of his hand as her face inched closer...closer. Fingers trembling, they worked at his leather belt, fumbling with the buckle all the way. Crawling closer on her knees, she moved in further and tugged his shirt upward to run her lips over the taut muscles of his belly before closing her mouth and teeth around the button on his shorts. Once open, she clasped her teeth around the zipper pull, tugging cautiously so as not to catch the tender flesh of her lips in the teeth.

He was so hard, straining against his boxer briefs, and she couldn't resist kissing him just as he was, passionately, as if she were kissing his mouth. His hands ripped at her hair then forced her head nearer, while his hips continued to grind against her efforts.

As always, though, she needed more and caught the waist of his boxers between her teeth, tugging them down to free him at last. Reaching out, she held him, stroking every last long, smooth inch of him.

"Fuck me, Ana," he ordered. "Just fuck me with those pouty little lips of yours."

Grasping him firmly, she pulled the head of him into her eager mouth swirling and flicking her tongue so steadily, all the while minding his expression with her wide blue eyes and reveling in the notes of pure passion that played on his face.

Pleasuring Christian aroused her like nothing else - even his own seductive torture of her. As her lips drew him further in, over her tongue, inching toward the back of her throat, her body contorted - her clit twitched all on its own without the encouragement of a single touch but the slip of lace she wore between her legs.

Tossing his head against the back of the chair, he roared, his groan reverberated through her to her core. "Come for me, Ana..." he moaned. "Just come while I'm fucking your mouth..."

The sounds of her own pleasure hummed against him, while she continued her manipulation with her entire mouth, suckling against and around his pulsing cock. She rubbed her thighs together, faster and faster, riding out her own orgasm as she brought him ever closer toward his.

Bobbing her head now over and around him, she couldn't fight the tides that rolled from between her legs and upward, splaying her pleasure throughout her entire trembling body, sweeping her off to that plane of exquisite delight that she knew only with him.

"Ana..." he growled. "Oh, such a _good girl_..."

Enthralled by her rapture, Christian came so suddenly and almost violently, trickling copiously down her throat while Ana clenched her fingers around his waist, digging into his skin. Never enough...

_Never. Enough._

It was then that her lips swept so calmly over him, her quiet moans sating them both. "Kisses...Kind Sir..."

"Kisses, baby..." he murmured, easing her up and back into his lap and held her so very closely against his chest, as their breaths became one. "Such...sweet...kisses..."

"Mmmm..."

"Thank you, baby..." he whispered against her hair.

Ana's giggle tickled against his chest. "You're welcome..."

"Not just for that..." He lifted her chin, smiling down upon her. "For erasing all of my doubts...for the affirmation of your submission to me. I love you more than anything, Anastasia..."

"I love you, too, Kind Sir..."

Within minutes, they had both fallen asleep in that chair, wrapped in each other's arms, against the backdrop of the darkening New York City skyline. And Christian Grey was so very satisfied with the final confirmation that he needed from Anastasia Steele.


	64. Chapter 64

Chapter Sixty-Four  
Ana returned to her desk that following Thursday afternoon after back-to-back conference calls just a tad forlorn when she didn't find any messages from Christian. It was so very unlike him to just...well...disappear.

The last they'd spoken was around noon when Carrick called Ana with the news that a grand jury had indeed found grounds to send Kate to trial. She looked to face one misdemeanor - unauthorized use of a computer - and three felony charges in computer trespassing, unlawful duplication of computer related material and criminal possession of computer related material. They were in for a fight, but both Carrick and Christian were certain they would prevail.

Naturally, Christian was overjoyed at this small victory, and he promised her a celebration that evening. However, having heard not a peep from his end...Ana began to worry.

"Hey, Ana," Jillian called out as she readied to leave for the day, her bag slung over her shoulder. "Guess who called me while you were in that meeting with Jeff..."

With a sly smile, she rolled her eyes and began to laugh. She knew the answer immediately. "Jill, I am so very sorry..."

Squeezing Ana's arm, Jillian reassured her, "It's all fine. He wants to take me to dinner - like a real, grown-up dinner..."

"Really?" Ana gasped, shocked by Elliot's proposition. She couldn't picture him in any fine dining establishment that was above the grade of that dive bar they'd visited the previous weekend. "Well...um...what did you tell him?"

Jillian winked. "Told him I'd think about it and call him with my decision..."

"You still didn't give him your number did you?" Ana asked.

"Nope!" Her ear-to-ear grin was nothing short of victorious.

"Oh, I just love this!" Ana squealed. "He means business if he's talking anything beyond wings and beer, Jill. Think you'll go?"

"Probably," Jillian said. "But let Mr. Playa sweat it out a little bit..."

"I love your thinking, girlfriend!" Ana threw her a high-five.

"Plans for tonight?"

"I thought so, but I can't seem to get a locale on Mr. Christian Grey," Ana said. "I'm going to give his office a call right now. They always know where to find him."

"Have a good one, buddy!"

"Mr. Grey's office, how can I...oh, Ana...sorry...didn't pay attention to my caller ID," Olivia said. "What can I do for you today?"

"Hey, Olivia, is the Boss Man there?" Ana asked.

"No, in fact," Olivia began, "he left a couple of hours ago. Said he had some errands to run. Haven't heard a word from him. You've tried his cell?"

"Yeah, a couple of times," Ana said, fears rising. "He's not answering."

"Want me to ping him and tell him to call his worried girlfriend?" Olivia offered.

"Nah, I'll find him...somewhere. But thanks for offering." Ana bit down into her lip, fighting her worst nightmares. This was all too very strange. Christian hadn't mentioned any late in the day meetings or dinner engagements. With everything they had going on in their lives - and especially since Kate had been charged that morning - her imagination went into overdrive.

"It's five-thirty-three, Annabelle," Jeff called out, as he strolled past her cubicle, shades on and ready to head out the door. "Go the hell home to your man..."

_If I could find him_, Ana thought. "Leaving now. Walk out with me?"

"I would be most honored," Jeff offered her his arm. Only with Christian's gay best friend could she get away with that!

They engrossed in their usual chatter while they waited for the elevator and headed down to the lobby.

"So Elliot finally called Jillian," Ana whispered.

"I would bet you all the wine in Christian's cellar that she's going to go out with him," Jeffrey said. "Such a buffoon - but really a nice guy. It would be kinda cute, though. I bet she'd calm him down."

"I think she's playing a little hard to get with him," Ana said. "And this is good for him. It'll make him do some work."

"Oh, he's a tamed beast compared to what he was when we were back at Harvard," Jeffrey said. "He'd come up and visit Christian sometimes, and I swear, he knew every last girl on campus. Christian used to get so upset with him. But it was hilarious to sit back and enjoy the show."

"Those two need to take their act on the road," Ana said.

"You know, Annabelle, I can only imagine family dinners at the Greys," Jeffrey mused. "Poor Dr. G. What those boys put her through as children..."

"I guess you've heard the tale of one melted GI Joe?" Ana asked.

"Oh, girl," Jeffrey began, "I think Christian used to talk about that in his _sleep_..."

Strolling through the lobby and toward the street, Jeffrey stopped suddenly in his tracks. Tonight, of all nights, he was in such a verbose mood, and all Ana wanted to do was hurry to the car to find out what the hell Sawyer might know of Christian's whereabouts.

"So, maybe one night next week, after work," Jeffrey began, "if you gals aren't busy, we could do drinks? I can even ask Michael to join us, since you haven't met him yet."

"That would be so much fun," Ana said, her eyes darting for the spinning revolving door.

"Gay bar OK with you?" Jeffrey asked.

Truthfully, Ana had never been to one, but she couldn't find a reason to say no. "I think Christian would probably _prefer_ that..."

"I've never seen him like this before, Annabelle - he's so overprotective of you!" Jeffrey continued to ramble, much to Ana's dismay. "But it's nice. I never thought he'd find anyone to make him happy. But clearly, he's found that in you."

"He makes me happy, too, Jeff," Ana said. "And with that, I do have to rush home to him right now..."

"Oh, yeah," Jeff finally continued their walk out the door. "Because you slave over a hot stove for him every night, don't you?"

"Hey, sometimes Mrs. J. lets me play sous-chef," Ana teased, but heaved a sigh of relief when she spotted Sawyer at the car, ready to open her door.

"Have a fabulous night, Annabelle."

"Back atcha, Jeffrey..."

And Ana didn't even bother to say hello. "Where's Christian?"

"Good evening to you, too, Ana," Sawyer tugged on the door handle. "And I have no idea what the boss is doing. Taylor was with him today. You're my responsibility this evening."

She thought that Sawyer and Taylor were pretty much interchangeable, but yet the one day that she desperately needed information, Sawyer knew nothing - allegedly.

"Off to Casa del Grey..." Sawyer said once he settled into the driver's seat.

The traffic that evening was at an absolute stand-still because, Sawyer noted, the President was in town. Apparently, this happened, too, with the Pope's visits. Not a single car moved for blocks, yet there was no obvious signs of the motorcade coming through any time soon.

Stuck in gridlock, she decided to try to reach Christian yet again. A text. An e-mail. She was about to dial his cell again when her own phone began to ring with Grace's number on the caller ID. She was likely calling to confirm their plans for the weekend - dinner on Saturday night followed up by some additional work on the hospital's winter gala. Perhaps, Ana thought, his mother knew where to find him.

"Well, good, then, Ana darling," she said, "we can't wait to see you both."

"Oh, um...by the way..." Ana began, doing her best to exert a casual one, "you haven't heard from Christian...like in the last couple of hours or so?"

"No, Ana, not a word," Grace said. "Is something...wrong?"

"Oh, no," Ana hoped her voice didn't reveal her own heart-stopping fears. "I'm sure he's just in a meeting..."

"So that was some good news on Kate this morning," Grace said. "How are you holding up with all that?"

"I think we're both very nervous," Ana admitted. "But I have absolute faith with the case in Carrick's hands."

"Ana, we both care a great deal about you, and we'll do anything and everything to help when we can."

"Oh, Grace..." Ana was almost too filled with emotions by Grace's words to speak. Perhaps this is just what she needed to calm her nerves that afternoon - a soothing voice to help her pass the minutes away. "You've - you have no idea how much that means to me."

"Sweetheart, _you_ have no idea the impact you've made on my son's life," Grace said. "In such a short time, you've changed him. You've made him a better man. You've brought all of those wonderful facets of his personality out to the surface that he refused to reveal for far too long. I am indebted to you forever, my dear..."

Those heartfelt sentiments were nearly far too much for Ana to hear, and she simply didn't know how to respond. Christian might have lost Ella so tragically, but what he gained in Grace's constantly nurturing spirit brought him a lifetime of goodness.

"Well, don't lose sight of the fact that he's had some pretty wonderful parents, too, Grace," Ana said. In fact, her love for the entire Grey family was just as every bit as deep as her love for Christian himself.

"Listen, dear, I don't want to keep you," Grace began, "and we'll see you both on Saturday. Christian tells us your father taught him a few things about barbecuing, and I think Carrick is going to fire up the grill to test him."

Those competitive Grey men. They simply can't resist the opportunity to indulge in the art of one-upmanship.

"Ray's a pretty good teacher," Ana said, "if I do say so _myself_..."

"Well, we certainly want to hear all about the trip. Now, go have a lovely evening with that son of mine..."

"You, too, Grace...have a wonderful night..."

The second she hung up the phone, worry settled over her again. She suddenly felt like the raging jealous girlfriend, as she dialed Christian's number again...only to be sent directly to his voicemail.

Biting into her lip, she breathed sharply through her nose as she minded the traffic ahead. Things seemed to break, but only slightly. Rush hour - on top of Obama's visit - only made matters worse in the mad dash to get home that evening.

"I hate to tell you this," Sawyer began, stopping yet again for another light, "but this could take some time this evening."

"OK, I'm fine with that," Ana said, her patience beginning to run exceedingly short, "but will you please just tell me where Christian is? Can't you radio Taylor?"

"I'll text him, Ana," Sawyer said, and pulled out his phone. "I'll let you know when I get a response."

Meanwhile, she dialed Christian again, this time, to leave a message. "Christian, please - I don't know what the hell is going on right now, but this is terrifying me. Will you please, _please_...just text me...I love you..._I love you so much_..."

"OK, Ana, I'm going to head west on 59th, then head uptown," Sawyer said. "We should do a little better with that route..."

"And Taylor?" she begged him, hoping...

"Nothing, Ana," Sawyer said simply.

"Should I be this worried?" she wondered out loud.

"It's Mr. Grey here that we're talking about," Sawyer said. "He's a busy guy, Ana. I don't have to tell you that!"

"Yeah, well, that busy guy always finds the time to call his girlfriend," she muttered. "Christian Slater Grey de Sade, you are killing me..."

Biting her knuckle, she continued to gaze out the window, seeing nothing at all. The buildings whizzed past in a blur as they turned up Tenth Avenue. Sawyer was right - the traffic seemed to suddenly disappear. However, Ana's nerves had yet to settle, and likely wouldn't until she heard from Christian.

When finally, nearly two hours later, they pulled up to the curb, Ana caught her heel getting out the car and stopped herself from falling by bracing herself against the door...which, in turn, caught against the sidewalk.

"Oh, Ana..." Sawyer shook his head and smiled. "What are we gonna do with you?"

"I'm...sorry, Sawyer..." she said, struggling to release the door.

"I'll get it. Don't worry..." If she dinged the door too badly, Sawyer knew, Christian would likely just buy a new car.

Through the lobby and back to the private elevator she hustled, scurrying quicker with each step in her rush to get upstairs - all the while hoping she wouldn't fall, of course. Then again, her clumsy nature sometimes worked to her benefit...landing her in the arms of the disappearing Christian Grey.

When she arrived at the top floor, she cursed herself. Christian had changed the passcodes again, and she struggled to remember the sequence of numbers. Now was not the time for her memory to fail her. She needed to get behind that door and find out where the hell he was - or where he'd been - for the last several hours, if she didn't throw up from all of the anxieties she'd suffered first.

Fingers racing over the keypad, she sighed with only slight relief when the indicator light turned green, releasing the lock on the door. Almost maddeningly, she turned the handle, then halted immediately in her tracks.

"Holy shit!"

Ana's jaw dropped...and she covered her mouth with her hand...


	65. Chapter 65

_**AN: **_As a thank you to you guys who have so faithfully been following...here's a gift to celebrate my 1000th review today.

xx

bb

_**Chapter Sixty-Five**_  
A sea of literally thousands of red rose petals speckling nearly every surface in the apartment met Ana's stunned gaze as she stepped inside the door. They were everywhere - pathways on the floor, scatterings on the tables, even the lid of the baby grand piano was simply covered in delicate pillows of crimson. Amid the flutter of flowers, white candles - in every size imaginable, from tealights to giant pillars - illuminated the dusky room and lined the budded trail to the terrace entrance, where Christian leaned against the frame of the open French doors.

Relief flooded through her veins just at the sight of her Fifty, and Ana decided to quickly shake off the last two hours of worry for just a little while. Apparently, he was too busy to answer his phone. She simply couldn't be angry with him, and at that moment, she was just so very curious as to what he had up his sleeve. After all, she reasoned, he rented out the entire observation deck of the Empire State Building for their first date - why not create his own little romantic lair for her on a random Thursday evening?

He was dressed ever so casually - those faded tight jeans that Ana loved and a simple baby blue button-down shirt. And he was smiling that little boy smile that was as gentle as it was timid.

Giggling all the while as she treaded so carefully over the rose petal road toward Christian, Ana called out, "What...is..._this..._?"

"Come here, baby," he opened his arms. "And careful - don't slip..."

Oh, he knew her all too well.

Beyond them in the doorway, the terrace was also covered with candles and Hydrangeas, Ana's favorite, and a bottle of champagne sat in the middle of the small coffee table with strawberries, chocolate and two flutes. However, Ana noticed none of that as she looked into Christian's playful eyes.

"What's going on here, Kind Sir?" Ana smiled. "You've already wooed me with your brand of romance...you didn't have to..."

Chuckling, he placed a finger over her lips, then took her hand. "Come with me, baby..."

There were even more petals beneath her feet as she followed him over to the lounge area, and gestured toward the outdoor divan. "Sit down, baby..."

When he joined her on the couch, Ana giggled again. "Will you please tell me what this is all about?"

"You have no idea, do you, baby?" He wove his fingers through her hair as it fluttered in the early evening breeze. "Not a clue..."

"Christian...what are you..."

Scooting away from her, he paused for a moment, looking so intensely into her big baby blue eyes as if he could see her soul...

...then stumbled off the couch and on to one knee, taking her hands in his.

"Ana, you are my entire world, my entire life - you _saved_ my life, a second time." he whispered. "I've never knew what love truly was all about until you fell into my lap. And I think maybe I fell in love with you that very night. Your curiosity had no bounds. You're so very smart and almost too wise for your age. You're sweet...affectionate. But you put me in my place when I need to be. You not only showed me what tenderness was - but you proved to me that I was capable of it, too."

Tears trickled into her eyes, and Christian stopped for just a moment to wipe them away with the backs of his fingers. "Don't cry, baby..."

"You make me just as happy, Christian..."

"This isn't about me tonight, Ana," he said. "It's about _**us**_."

"It always has been - from the beginning..."

He stopped again to swallow the lump in his throat. "Yes, baby, it has," he agreed. "And I know it's only been a few weeks, but...I feel like we've already spent a lifetime together. And I'm hoping that maybe we can just extend that into infinity."

Every bone in Ana's body began to tremble as he pulled out the tiny velvet box, struggled to open the lid, and revealed the ring inside - forty-nine carats of rare diamonds with a flawless emerald cut centerpiece, flanked by two taper baguette diamonds, mounted in platinum.

"Ana, if I could be with you every second of the day, I would. I want to grow with you - grow old with you. Have a couple of kids running around here someday," he continued, again searching her face to gage her thoughts. "I need you in my life, and I need for us to share that commitment to each other. So...baby...will you please marry me?"

In her heart, Ana knew that she loved every last shade of Christian Grey. His angst. His tenderness. His moodiness. His protective nature and his all-encompassing desires. She adored their sweet, quiet evenings on the couch, their nights on the town and their dark moments of play inside the infamous Red Room of Pain.

There was not a single trace of doubt in her mind.

"Yes, Christian, I'll marry you..."

"You will?" he breathed.

Again, Ana couldn't stop herself from laughing at his astonishment. Oh, her Fifty really did need to work on his self-esteem issues when it came to her. But she loved him anyway.

"Yes," she kissed him on the lips. "_Yes, yes, yes_!"

Never once did she ever see the cool Christian Grey shake as he did when he carefully placed the ring on her left hand.

"I love you, Christian," she kissed him again. "I love you so much..."

"You're happy?"

"Stop," she murmured against his lips. "Just stop..."

"Well, you've made me the happiest man in the entire world tonight."

"The flowers...the candles...this exquisite ring!" she exclaimed. "You could have popped a quarter into a gumball machine, and I would have been just as thrilled."

"That's exactly why I wanted you to have it," he said. "To spoil you. Because you don't give a damn about all of this."

"Christian," she said, her voice filling with her tears of utter exuberance, "we could live in a shack and eat ramen noodles every day for all three meals, and I would still be happy with you."

"You really do mean that..." he said, kissing her back. "Oh, Ana, I love you."

"And I just can't stop giggling and crying right now..."

"You just got engaged, Future Mrs. Grey," he said. "I think that's the normal reaction."

"Mrs. Grey..." Ana said, tugging him off his bended knee on the concrete patio to join her on the couch. "That has a lovely sound to it..."

Suddenly, just a slight twinge of sadness struck Ana. Anastasia _Steele_. Ray had given her his name on the day he adopted her as his own. It was the one part of him that they shared. And while he was supportive of their relationship - even of Ana's decision to move in with Christian - marriage was another commitment entirely.

"Baby...what's wrong?" Christian wrapped one arm around her and cupped her chin with his other hand.

"I...well...Ray..."

That smile was oh, so very wry. "What do you think we were discussing out in the woods for four hours while I left you at home in bed to sleep?"

"You mean...?"

"Do you really think that I would have proposed had I not asked your father for his daughter's hand in marriage?"

Nearly breathless, she tried to gather her thoughts. "Wait a minute...this is why we went to Washington, isn't it, Mr. Sly Shades of Grey?"

He just smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "Perhaps..."

"So Ray already knows...?"

"Yeah, you should probably call him. He called me about five hundred times today."

"He doesn't even call his own daughter, but he calls you? How do you rate?" she teased, moving closer and grabbing his collar. "You just keep making me fall in love with you all over again."

"I can assure you that Ray's very happy for you - for _us_, Ana," he said, and pulled out his phone. "Let's call him."

Ana swore that her step-father picked up on the first ring. "Christian...? Well...?"

A man of so many words, Ray just made Ana laugh.

Christian lifted his finger to Ana's lips to hush her. "She said no..."

Silence fell over the line, and she could hear the rush of Ray's breath against the phone. Ana knew he was breathing haughtily through his nose as he often did when life displeased him. She felt badly that Christian was teasing him.

"I'm kidding - you're gaining a son-in-law," Christian said.

"Dammit, Annie, are you there?" Ray called out. "You nearly gave me a heart attack there."

"I'm here Ray," Ana said. "And thanks for keeping Christian's little secret from me!"

"Why would I try to ruin the biggest surprise of my little girl's life for her?" Ray asked. "I'm just so pleased for you both."

"So, Ray, it looks like you'll have to come to New York after all - for the wedding," Ana teased.

"You know I wouldn't miss that for the world, Annie," he said. "If I had to travel through the gates of hell to get there, I would."

"Well, someone has to walk me down the aisle and hand me over to this handsome fellow sitting next to me..."

"I would be honored to walk my little girl down the aisle."

Ana was pretty sure that there wasn't a dry eye on either end at that point. Even Christian was feeling the intensity of the moment.

"Listen, Princess, you go celebrate with my son-in-law this evening, OK?" Ray said. "And you, Christian - you take care of my little girl over there in that big bad city. You hear me? That's an order."

"Ray, I wouldn't question your authority with Ana for anything..." Christian said. Yes, the one man he deferred his power over his fiancée to was indeed Raymond Steele. There was simply no point in challenging him.

"We love you, old man," Ana called out. "And we miss you!"

"I love you both, too, little girl. Enjoy the night..."

As Christian hung up the phone, Ana reached for his hand. "You're just amazing, Mr. Grey..."

He reached out for the champagne, and his deft fingers worked at the cork, slowly easing away the casing, then popping open the bottle with only a minimal amount of spillage. Christian hated wasting, and he never understood the point of shaking the bottle just to watch it fizz over when it was so easy to open gently with a bit of caution.

Passing a glass first to Ana, he then toasted, "To the rest of our lives..."

"To the rest of our lives..." she repeated, touching her flute to his.

"So," he lifted his arm and rested it behind the couch, encircling Ana's shoulders, "you want to get married here - in New York?"

Ana nodded and touched her fingers to his cheek, caressing. "My life with you is here - began here. There's not a doubt in my mind."

"And soon, Ana," he insisted. "You know how impatient I am when it comes to you..."

"Slow down, Mr. Grey," Ana said. "Let's revel in tonight for what it is, and we'll pick a date first thing in the morning - I promise you."

"Do you want to call Carla now, or would you rather wait?"

"Would a passive-aggressive e-mail be appropriate?" Ana asked, but she wasn't completely kidding.

"Anastasia Rose..."

"Ugh, do I have to invite my mother?

"Unfortunately, yes, Ana," he told her.

"But you promised me that we wouldn't have to see her until Baby Grey Number Seven makes an appearance."

"After the wedding, I promise you, we won't see her until Baby Grey Number Seven, as you call him or her, arrives on this earth," Christian said. "But Carla should probably be included in our matrimonial celebration..."

"You always have to do what's right..."

He nodded. "Always..."

"Don't leave me alone with her - not for one second..." Ana waved a finger at him, warning.

"That I can do. But right now...

Following his lead, she placed her glass next to his on the table. "Yes, Kind Sir?"

"I have this rather urgent need..." he murmured, leaning in so very close but not to touch her just quite yet, "...to kiss you..."

"Kisses, Kind Sir?"

"Oh, yeah, baby..." Wrapping his large hands around her head, he pulled her closer. "_Kisses_..."


	66. Chapter 66

_**Chapter Sixty-Six**_  
"Kisses..." Ana whispered, tossing her head back while his lips swept over her long neck. "_Oh...kisses_..."

"No games tonight, baby..." His tongue trailed along the line of her jaw, stopping to lap over the dimple in her chin before catching her mouth against his, the taste of champagne lingering. "Just sweetness..."

Dizzied by the pull of his lips as they suckled, the tickle of his tongue against hers, the warmth of his breath heating up her cheeks, Ana fell so readily under his spell yet again. Over and over his lips plied her, played her, made her crave him with a desperation that almost terrified her. However, along with those tantalizing emotions that always ran wild with him, Ana discovered a new comfort - he was hers, alone, forever.

Returning his kisses, Ana pulled him closer, allowing that rush that was Christian Grey to claim her once more. His gentle, delectable manipulation of just her mouth never ceased to weaken her defenses while heightening each and every one of her senses.

His nose dipped down to sweep over her neck, tickling Ana at the line of her collarbone, fanning into the opening of her blouse and teasing her even lower and lower. The heat of her own passions settled upon her, rendering her so very uncomfortable in her clothes. Nipples tautening, she felt the strain of them against the tightness of her silky bra. How she needed his kisses there...right there...but he continued on with his slow and tender assault, lulling her into his prowess once more.

"This terrace is seeing more action this week than it has in the lifespan of the entire building, I think..." he whispered.

Nipping now so gently against the satiny skin of her neck, he carried her further away, and her hands clasped his shoulders, clinging to him for the strength she needed. Meanwhile, his hands made their leisurely way up and down her back, caressing up, down and over, daring to dip down further to her hips with every pass before kneading against her tight little bottom wiggling beneath her skirt.

"_Oh_, _Kind_ _Sir_..."

"No Kind Sir tonight, baby," he said, sitting back for just a second. "Just Ana and Christian..."

"You'll always be my Kind Sir..." she whispered, pressing against his capable hands as they passed over her thighs, pushing up the hem of her skirt.

"And you," he kissed her again, so deeply that he left her breathless, "will always be my baby..."

"I love you," she finally whispered. "I can't wait to be your wife..."

"Ana..." he said before crushing his lips to hers once more, then murmured against them, "what you do to me..."

"Make love to me, Christian," she begged. "Please...I need you inside me..."

His groan only sent her further on her journey toward oblivion. "Oh, baby...I'm not done kissing you yet," he said. "But I need to get you undressed, and I won't do that out here..."

Christian took Ana's hands, coaxing her to stand as she kicked off her high heels. Within seconds, he lifted her tiny body into his arms and kissed her head all the while as he made his slow way back into the penthouse, through the living room, then so very cautiously up the stairs with her.

Once inside their room, he kicked the door closed, then laid her down with equal caution in the center of the bed. Much to her surprise, there were more candles - more rose petals tossed almost carelessly about the entire room. Against him, Ana smiled. He never overlooked a single detail - especially not in his proposal.

His mouth gaping, he stood there, above her, just to watch as she writhed, burrowing her little ass into the mattress and scraping her thighs together.

"No rules tonight," he reminded her again - approaching, kneeling up and over her on the bed. "And don't think about anything but what I'm doing to you in the moment..."

Pining for his touch again, Ana reached out and took his hands in hers, drawing him closer. She felt the crush of his hips, sinuating against her, as his lips pulled at hers once more. His hands, however, were in no particular hurry as he methodically opened every last button on her blouse.

His head dropped between her breasts, nuzzling then nipping, as he eased his hands behind her. "Arch your back for me, baby..." With some struggle, he managed to pull away her blouse, then unhook her bra before tugging that away from her porcelain skin, too. Desire glazing his eyes, his fingers returned to her nipples, intent on bringing her to one thorough orgasm before he continued on.

"Oh...!" Ana cried out suddenly, recalling the day he did just this to her, blindfolded and bound in the kitchen. As he pinched and pulled at her over-sensitized little buds, she could feel her passions catching fire then blazing out of control from the tips of her breasts, staggering deep into her tummy and throbbing so powerfully between her legs.

"Harder..." she managed, as his lips so stealthily replaced his fingers. "_Please...harder_..."

He knew damn well that he'd probably leave a few marks, but Christian obliged. His lips sucking and his teeth biting down simply set Ana over the edge. Yes, he promised her tenderness, but he also knew how much she craved the pain, even in the slightest amount.

"I'm coming..._oh, fuck_...Christian, I'm coming!" she screamed, her hands tearing at the comforter, pulling it up from the bed.

"You're always coming, Ana..." he muttered, teeth clenched around her fully teased nipple. How he loved to hear her wail, mid-orgasm. He felt like his cock just grew another inch. "Like a fine-tuned machine...coming and coming..."

"Need you...need you now..."

"I am so not finished kissing you..."

With his mouth alone, he traced a straight line down from the center of her breasts directly to her clit. Catching her ankles in the circles of his hands, he lifted her legs to spread her wider.

As his tongue twirled and lapped against her, Ana could feel her hips begin to tremble immediately. The pulse of one finger, then a second, inside her while his mouth continued to works its magic upon her rushed her to soar to new heights. So relentless was that tongue in Christian's pursuit, he refused to stop, circling and swirling, while his fingers pumped decisively, her orgasm tightening her slippery walls around them.

"Kisses...oh..." she moaned, as his tongue slithered inside her, replacing his fingers, fucking her as she rode out the final throes of her pleasure. "_Ohhh...kisses..._"

When his mouth returned to hers once more, he deepened the kiss, his tongue filling her up once again. "Taste your sweet self, baby..." He repeated the kiss as she whimpered beneath him. "_Taste it_..."

"Aww..._mmmm_..." she squirmed against him, pressing her nipples against the strength of his chest.

"That's my girl," he murmured as his thumb stroked her face. "My_ good girl_...just relax..."

"More, please...?" she implored him, reaching for his zipper.

Touching his nose to hers, he smiled, then drew back, eliciting a moan of disappointment from Ana. Pulling his shirt over his head, he said, "Let me undress, baby. I want to feel you against me tonight..."

Without bothering to get out of bed, he kicked off his shoes, then his jeans and boxers, and returned to his position on top of her. Stroking and soothing her now with his hands alone, he reveled in her sweet cooing as he calmed her down before taking her completely.

"You are just so beautiful, Future Mrs. Grey..."

"So are you, Mr. Grey," she traced her fingers over his scars. "So very..."

"I love feeling you touch me like that, Ana..." he whispered, eyes following her fingertips.

Nervously, her fingers played so very softly against him, tickling his skin. "Kisses?"

With a confident smile, he nodded. "Go ahead, baby...kisses..."

One by one, Ana's lips traveled over his wounds, following the path that her delicate fingers had just taken and indulging in the calm that it brought to him. Only a mere month ago, Christian would have balked - chastised her for daring to try to invade upon his own private nightmares. Now, however, he sought solace in the tenderness of her lips as they kissed away those horrible memories of his childhood.

As she reached the larger scar on his shoulder - from the gunshot wound he suffered so very young at the cruel hands of that monster - she caressed her cheek against him, reassuring him that he no longer had to be afraid of anything...ever again.

When Ana finally looked up and smiled at him, Christian murmured, "Green, baby...it's all green..."

"I love you..."

"I love you, too," he said, "and I want to kiss you again..."

And that he did, with just as much passion but with so much more tenderness, working her desires back into a slow and steady burn. Ana closed her eyes, tossing her head about the downy pillow beneath her head, submitting once more to their collective desires.

His fingers feathered over her bare skin, teasing her yet again without all the fury, grazing over her nipples, dancing down her chest and circling her belly button. Ana relaxed into her own needs for a change, just feeling the sensations and allowing each and every one to stir her slowly into complete titillation.

While his fingertips merely grazed over her deliciously swollen clit, Ana reached out to stroke him, working the length of his hardened cock with the subtle grasp of her hand.

"Mutual masturbation," he mused, leaning down to steal another warm kiss, "we need to try that sometime...when I'm not so desperate to be inside you..."

"Then it'll never happen," Ana teased.

"Fair point, baby," he whispered, with a slight groan, "always well made..."

Just for good measure, he kissed her yet again, and as always Ana just couldn't get enough. His sweet manipulation of her lips alone carried her back to that dizzying place where only their pleasure mattered. Wanton with need, she whispered in his ear, "I want you..._now_..."

Ana had never seen him cover his cock so quickly with a condom as he did in the heat of that moment.

Gently, she felt the head of him press against her...inside her... and Ana settled into the exquisite feel of their bodies joined at last as her hands smoothed over his shoulders and down the hardened muscles of his back to rest upon his so very tight ass.

Eyes wide open as they rocked so easily against each other, Ana felt his slow and steady thrusts shooting such subtle, even ripples of delight from her slippery core - fanning upward, deep within her belly. Punctuating each pump of his hips with a groan of primal need, he urged her onward, closer to the pleasure they both sought.

Entwining her legs around his, Ana felt the build of one slow, beautiful orgasm that just rolled into the next. All the while, she held his eyes, so fixed and deliberate in his ambition to please her.

"So...fucking...close, baby," he buried his head in the crook of her neck. "Oh, fuck, Ana...right now..."

Face furrowed in exquisite delight, he thrust against her with such force, and once again, she delighted in nothing more than sharing those final seconds of their plateau together.

"_Mine_, Ana...only mine..._forever_..."

"Yours...oh, Christian...I'm _yours_..."

Collapsing against her, unintentionally pinning her against the bed, Christian sought her lips again, kissing and kissing with a such a delicacy that relaxed Ana from her own trembling frenzy.

While he rolled away from her, he still coddled his beloved baby, rocking her against him, until a calm pervaded them both.

"I can't wait to marry you, Kind Sir..." Ana could feel the curve of his smile against the top of her head that rested so peacefully against his chest.

"And I can't wait to be your husband, baby..."

And that night, as Ana fell so gently asleep in the protective circle of his arms Christian held her, thinking back to the Saturday morning in Montesano, Washington, that sealed their fate forever...


End file.
